The Best Weekend Ever

I headed south to Dallas for the weekend. I had so many fun things to do I ended up leaving early Thursday morning before the whole crew headed down later on Friday. Several months ago we bought Coldplay concert tickets which is something that was on my bucket list! I decided to go early and got to see my bestie Mare and got the privilege of meeting her sweet daughter in the NICU. I was completely honored that she allowed me to go meet her and see her sweet face. If you don't know Olivia's story, she was a quad born at 23 weeks and has been fighting for the past 11 weeks of her life. Please go read Mare's blog if you haven't already or my post I wrote here.

I'm in Love!!! She is so perfect.

I also got to see my other friend Heather, who delivered at 31 weeks and got to hold her precious son, Beckham. Two miracle babies all in one weekend! I so happy they are both doing so well.



Friday night the rest of the crew got there. My friend Jennie and her husband came all the way from Austin to hang out. Again, so thankful. Then our other friends the Hartnesses and Cashions also came from Fayetteville. We stayed at the Westin and had a fabulous time. We spent most of the day at the pool on Saturday and had some good chill time (although I completely forgot to take pics).

Who invited these two?

Before dinner and the concert!

My baby daddy and our babymoon!

I have to say this concert crept up on me and it had not crossed my mind in awhile, but let me assure you, it was the BEST concert I have ever been to and probably will ever get to go to again. Even Marc who does not enjoy concerts loved it! It was incredible. That Chris Martin is quite impressive singing live.

Everyone got light up bracelets, which went along with the beat. Unbelievable.

It was such a nice, fun, refreshing weekend away to spend with Marc, fun friends and to also get quality time with friends I don't normally get to see. My heart is so FULL right now. I miss them all already.
I feel like I had an awesome mini-vacay.

Thoughts...

As I reflect back on this weekend I have so many thoughts running through my head. It was one of the most emotional weekends I have yet to experience in my life.
I went to Dallas to attend the service for my friend, Mare's 3 babies. As I got there, I received a text from another very close friend letting me know she had to have an emergency C-section and that her baby was in the NICU. She just so happens to live very close to the Dallas area as well.
What a whirlwind it has been. I honestly feel like I can't sort out my thoughts on what all has happened. These were my only 2 (real life) friends that walked the infertility journey with me at the same time. These were the 2 that understood everything. These were the ones I confided in the whole time. These were the ones I truly could rejoice in their happiness of finding out they were pregnant.
These are the 2 that have babies in the NICU... I can't wrap my mind around it all, it just all seems like a bad dream.

If you had told me 10 years ago as I was graduating with all my friends and moving into my college dorm room w/ Mare that I would be attending her babies funeral and her mothers funeral all in one week, I would have laughed in your face. That kind of stuff just doesn't happen...or so I thought. No one should have to go through the things she has had to experience. It seems so unfair. But as her preacher said during the service, this world is a fallen world and we are unfortunately are on this side of it. One day we will be redeemed, reunited and reconnected in which there is no sin, no death, and no crying. I can't wait for that day!
The service for the babies was just perfect. The place was beautiful and the service was amazing. We know that God is holding those babies in His lap and that they are absolutely perfect. Even in the midst of tragedy, God was given glory. I don't know how Mare and Reid kept it together, but they did and I stood in awe.
It felt so wonderful to hug her neck. I just wish I could take some of her pain away. I think about sweet Olivia and thankful she is a feisty fighter. I'm praying so hard for her to keep thriving.

After I left her house I went to see my other friend in the hospital. She felt like she had just woken up from a bad dream but was doing incredibly well for what all had just went down. She said her doctor came right before they wheeled her back and prepared her for the worst for when he came out... Praise Jesus he came out breathing. She was 31 weeks and he weighs 3.4lbs. It is truly a miracle how Gods hand was over everything. He is doing great and we are still praying that he would grow and thrive.

As I sat last night just reflecting back on the day, I was flooded with all kinds of emotions. I was sad, thankful, overwhelmed, scared, fearful, and very weepy. I ache for my friends to hold those babies and bring them home. They have waited so long but perhaps still have very long roads to travel.
It makes me wonder what lies ahead for me. I keep reminding myself that He already knows the outcome and He is still in control and not me.

I love the verse Mare posted on her blog...

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

        (Psalm 34:18 ESV)

Quads Shower

This past weekend I was able to help host my best friends shower in Little Rock. This was a fun first for me for helping host a quads shower! Never thought I would get to do that. The theme was elephants and the number 4 of course!

party favor table... peanuts for the little peanuts

food table: chick-fil-a nuggetts, elephant cookies, fruit kabobs, cupcakes, animal crackers

 4 cute elephant onesies

I made this banner from a cricut machine! I love those things!

door wreath with all the girls names on them! 4 girls!

4 "I'm special plates w/ their names on them! So precious. this is from the "Sincerely Yours" etsy shop.

Besties for a very long time! I called her mother Mare for a reason!

So many cute, girly clothes

Another fun detail that I missed a picture of was that we did a basket of bedrest survival supplies since she will have to be on hospital bedrest for several weeks. I think that would be fun to have little presents to open while in the hospital and hopefully it can brighten her day and stay!

Happy shower Mare! Love you.

 

If you didn't see my post about her story, you can read it HERE!

4

4 is the number of babies my best friend is having. 4 is the number of children she always wanted. Thats right, my college roommate, my maid of honor, and one of my dearest BFF's is having quads! We had been on the infertility journey for the past couple of years together until she did her first iui right before thanksgiving. I was so happy to know that it had worked, but little did I know how well it had worked. She had called me thinking that it would probably not work the first time, but I was praying for a different outcome! I swear I didn't pray for 4 Mare ;). Joking aside, this is such a true miracle! There was a less than 1% chance of this ever happening and about a 15% chance of it working in general. The doctor was in complete shock and cried when he told them. Mare and her husband Reid have been handling this news like a champ! I love how God is using their story and their response is such a testimony to that. She knows that this is meant to be and she will make one heck of a mother. We actually used to call her "mother mare" in high school, so now that is more fitting than ever. Pray for them and their 4 sweet little miacles growing in her.
You can keep up with her journey at: http://mareandreid.blogspot.com/

A look back over the past few years of us!

 my personal fave. :)

 

Congrats Mare! Can't wait to meet those precious babies!

Baby Willow

A few weekends ago we had a sip and see for one of my really great friends, Jennie and her brand new baby Willow. For those that don't know what a "sip and see" is, it is a shower for someone that has already had the baby. So we sip punch and see the baby. Pretty sure its a southern thing. Who knows, either way we had one and we all got to meet baby Willow who unfortunately lives way too far away in Austin, TX. 

shower decor

 the lady of the hour

 sweet friends from high school!

 such a cutie, look at those yummy rolls

 besties since 9th grade

 Willow and Meg



It was so much fun getting to catch up with old friends and getting to meet babyWillow. I wish I lived close to her so I could just squeeze her everyday!

A week of Babies

This week was full of babies being born! 2 of my best friends had their babies just days apart.

It began tuesday with our friends, the Hartnesses. They welcomed their first baby in this world.
Meet Ellery: She weighed 7.4 and was 20 1/4 in long. We are so excited for them and feel like we are a part of their family. We can't wait to spoil her and then send her home!

She is such a cutie and we love her so much already!

On Friday night we got word that our friends, The Smiths were having their baby. She was in labor and actually having a home birth, so a few of us went over and took some candy, flowers, and balloons to their house. Well my friend Katie and I ended up staying and made a cake since all her family was coming in. She was progressing pretty quickly, so we just decided we would stay until she had him! We actaully got to be around while she had him and it was such an incredible experience. Aubrey was such a trooper and labored without any drugs whatsoever. It was inpressive for sure. It was a really neat experience that I will never forget. He was born at 3:26am and we stayed til about 4:45. Needless to say, everyone is tired!

Meet Shepherd: He weighed 7.14 and was 21in long.

We are super excited for our friends and we are so grateful for healthy babies. They truly are miracles from God. Now we will just continue to wait for our little miracle!


side note- i think blogger is messed up, so if the pictures are not displaying properly click in the box and they should pop up. Sorry, not sure how to fix this.

Marc and Babies

Think someone is ready for a baby?

Umm slightly...
Everyday I hear in this cute little pathetic voice, "please make me a baby." "I want a baby." "I will be a good dad, I promise!"
Well those cute, little quotes SCARE the mess out of me. BIG time! Those cute little bundles scare me even more.

That's all.  Happy Hump Day!

lemon eating

Friday we had a lovely lunch date with Sawyer and Katie. As we all know, I'm slightly obsessed with S along with my sister, who will soon be his favorite babysitter when she gets up here in the fall!
We went to chick-fil-a and had pure entertainment from this little cutie.





Later that night we went to Shoguns to celebrate Andrew getting a job. Sawyer loves that place because of all the entertainment and food for him. (As do i!)

Meg and S man

Love and Happy Tuesday!

Baby thoughts

This little guy makes me want a baby boy so incredibly bad!


He is cute, cuddly, chubby, sweet, entertaining, and so loveable!






Unfortunately this little guy makes me not want one...

He is a mess. Spoiled, needs tons of attention, sasses me all of the time, throws fits and is just a pure wild child. I have been getting up with him at least once a night (usually more than that) for the past 3 years of my life.

Makes me wonder... Which one will my child be more like. I'm hoping more like Sawyer but thinking more like Louie. Oh well, I guess we will all have to wait and see....


P.s.- Just to clarify, I'm NOT preggers.

Sawyer Lee Henry

My dear friend Katie had her sweet baby boy last night at 3am. He weighed 7lb,15oz! He is absolutely perfect and such a cutie already!
She had a really rough labor and delivery and is suffering from some really high blood pressure. Please pray for a quick recovery for her! She covets those prayers right now!
I snapped a few pics from last night right after he was born, to see them, visit their blog at: http://henryadventures.blogspot.com/

Waiting!

I am anxiously awaiting Sweet Sawyers birth! Im sitting in the room with them right now! Katie is doing great!
Check back later for more updates!

Babies!

The other weekend we helped host a shower for a sweet couple in our community group! Jenessa, from JBailey Occasions helped plan a perfect shower for a baby boy! To view pics, click on the link below! This is the couples 3rd child, but first boy!
http://jbaileyoccasions.blogspot.com/2009/03/baby-boy-baby-shower.html

It was super fun and exciting, we were kind of hoping she would go into labor while we were all there because she had been having contractions the whole day! Another host of the shower was one of my best friend, Katie! She too is pregnant and is about to have a baby any day! We thought it would be awesome if they both had gone into labor at the same time! We could have just moved the party to the hospital!
Instead, today Tiffany is in labor and 1 week from today Katie will most likely get induced! I'm so excited and blessed to have such wonderful friends and be a part of their journeys! I learn so much by being around such wonderful, and inspirational people. They are truly blessings and I cannot wait to meet their new additions!
I'm also excited to meet Baby Will! He too is coming into this world either tonight or tomorrow! How exciting to meet these little bundles of Joy!

I hope by watching and learning from these wonderful girls, that I too could be a wonderful mother! (just not quite there yet on wanting to be!)