Big girl!

This week marked two "big girl" steps in Averi's life...first she moved out of her carrier car seat and into her big girl seat! She has not passed the weight for her carrier but was close to the limit in height and therefore looked very scrunched in it... she has plenty of room in her new stylish seat her aunt Ruthie got her, Thank you aunt Ruthie!



Averi also got her ears pierced this week! She did so good, she only cried when I had to hold her head still and has been fine ever since. They do not seem to be bothering her a bit! We took these pics right after so her ears are a little red but I promise they are not red anymore...she looks ADORABLE!

Thankful

Kev, Av and I headed to TN for Thanksgiving this year! We left Monday night and didn't head home until this (Sunday) afternoon! It was so nice to visit with our sweet family and friends and OFCOURSE eat A LOT of food!
I was reminded of how much I have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! Kevin and I are extremely thankful for his parents, they are a constant love and support to us. What a joy it is to watch them play with our sweet daughter and her grin at them. Averi had a hard time sleeping this week, I guess because it was a new environment, and Kevin's mom was more then willing to help us in the wee hours (she took her at four in the morning after a long night) in order to allow us to get some much needed rest! They adore their sweet grand daughter and she as well as Kevin and I are so blessed to have them...we would be lost without Nana and Papa Yates!
I have also recognized, once again, how blessed I am to have Kevin as my husband! I often forget what a gift I have been given to have a husband who desires to serve the Lord in how he leads our family. Kevin and I have so much fun together, and that too is a gift... there is no one in the world who can make me laugh as he does... he often has me laughing to the point of tears! I LOVE cuddling and Kevin knows this and I often recognize his effort to give me extra hugs, kisses and back rubs in order to make me feel special... I am thankful for the Husband God has chosen for me!
I am also thankful for Godly women Christ has placed in my life! I have learned so much from watching women such as Ashley Barrett, Lydia Ring, Beth Blackwell, Erica Roberts, Robin Few and MANY MANY MORE... I have learned many practical things from these women but have also received support and advice as I learn how to be a better mother and wife! I appreciate these women's friendships and admire their capabilities! I thank the Lord for allowing me the privilege to know them!
I am also thankful for the privilege of being Averi's mommy! Nothing thrills my heart more then the way she smiles and wiggles with excitement when I walk into the room! I find so much joy in being her mommy despite the exhaustion it can sometimes cause! Oh sweet Av we thank the Lord for giving us you!
I am most thankful for my heavenly father and his love for me! I am SO unworthy and yet he loves me! I am so often whiny and ungrateful and yet he is steadfast in his patience for me! I so often take for granted the personal relationship i have with God when I should be shouting from the roof top that my God is an awesome God!

7 months!

7 months...can you believe it! Averi is now eating stage two baby food like a champ! She loves fruit but (YEA!!!) also loves the veggies, I so hope she is a better veggie eater then her mommy and takes after her daddy in this area! She can go from sitting up to her belly fairly smoothly but still isn't one for crawling, she gets up and rocks a little every now and then but would much rather we give her what it is she is after, I know she is a little spoiled!
Av's biggest thing in her seventh month has been her babbles... the high pitch squeal has turned into "blablablablablabla", "MAMAMAMAMMA" and Kevin's favorite "DADDADADADAD" I know she doesn't know that "Mama" and "Dada" mean Kevin and I but it is still dear to our hearts to hear her say it! What fun we are having with her in the Yates house! We love you our Love bug!

Look how far we have come!

dear to my heart

I am writing this post without naming names although I know many of you who follow our blog already know who it is I am talking about, I do not however want to embarrass the friend I am talking about but I do want to ask you to pray!
On Sunday some one VERY dear to my hearts husband told her he wants a divorce. My friend said she knew it was long and coming and that for the time they have been married they have done A LOT of fighting! I know my friend is a christian and her husband says he is, after much talking they are going to try to work it out... but there is A LOT to work out. So join with Kevin and I and pray that God will break through their pride, put a desire in their hearts to be married to one another, break down their hearts and remind them why they fell in love in the first place, remind them of the vows they have made and teach the husband the Godly leadership skills he needs in order to lead his family as well as the wife the skills she needs to learn in order to be a supportive and submissive wife! PLEASE pray with God all things are possible, He can heal the broken hearted and renew a broken marriage!

sippy cup

Averi is quickly mastering drinking from her sippy cup... way to go Av!

Date night!

Kevin and I headed out on a "cheap" date last tuesday! We went to McDonald's for a dollar menu dinner and to the movies for a discount movie night! We had so much fun together and enjoyed our time together! Since we live such a BUSY life it was so nice to have a relaxing night of just the two of us! Thank you Sarah for babysitting Averi!

Daddys girl!

I came down our stairs into the living room to find this:



That's right Kevin was sound asleep with Averi just playing on the couch next to him. could she look any more relaxed though? She is quickly becoming a daddy's girl!

Sleeping!

Averi has never been one who sleeps well unless in her bed... I mean she will sleep other places but not nearly as well as she does at home. So needless to say I was shocked the other night to find her snoozing in her jumper! I was in the kitchen cooking and had not heard her for a few minutes, I walked in and this is what I found... could she be any sweeter?

Alayna making brownies!

My god daughter, Alayna, came over on Saturday to spend the night so she could go to church on Sunday with us. Since Kevin had to work at applebees I surprised her with a visit from one of her favorite people, LINDSAY. Before Kevin and I got married Lindsay and I were roommates and therefore Lindsay also built a strong bond to Alayna. She spoils Alayna to death and is always loving on her! On Saturday Lindsay brought over brownie mix and, even though it was bed time, I let Alayna help her make them! Thank you for coming over and spending a sweet evening with us Linz!

family pictures

A friend from sunday school, Jeff Marshman, http://jeffmarshman.blogspot.com/ took some amazing pictures of our family a few weeks ago. Jeff is very talented and we are thrilled with our pictures.

Weekend

As I said in my previous post I took Kevin walking on a real swinging bridge... this is not one of the bridges you find in places like gatlinburg where they are designed for you to be able to walk on as part of a tourist attraction. These bridges are designed so you can get out if it rains and the low water bridge is flooded over so they are still used on a consistent basis... I have to admit it seemed a whole lot scarier walking it this time then it did when I was a kid! Oh and by the way we left Averi with my Nana, we wouldn't dream of taking her over the Ky river on a swinging bridge
Averi was of course spoiled this weekend... she practically spent the whole weekend on my Nana's lap! What fun they had, Averi thought Nana Sheffel hilarious!
Averi also had fun playing with my cousins little boy Willie... I can not believe he is only three months older then Av.

Jackson weekend

This past weekend Kevin and I had the privilege of visiting with my family... my aunt (whom I call Nana) and my uncle (Papa). We always have so much fun visiting them and I love showing Kevin around. This trip was especially nice as I got to show Kevin the house I lived in when I was in eighth grade and got him to walk on a real swinging bridge (over the Ky river), the same one we walked as kids when the low water driving bridge leading into our hollow was flooded over... Kevin was a little nervous about it and I have to admit it seemed a lot scarier this time then it did when I was a kid!
Kevin also had some bonding time with the boys. About eighteen of them went across the river and up in the hills to camp out and hunt. Do not ask me why you would want to hunt and sleep in such cold weather but they did and Kevin said he had a BLAST! What fun it is to go back to the hills of KY and visit sweet family, it is truly home!
The following pictures are of the house I lived in when I was in eighth grade,the swingingg bridge, my cousin and her children willie Kyle and June Bug, and ofcourse Kev av and I

The appreciation of life

Brooke and Ruthie... two of the strongest women I know!



Sweet Ruthie and her son Corbin



Me and Ruthie... How I wish I was in Florida with her




When my sister Ruthie and friend Brooke both told me they were expecting children I assumed in nine months I would be holding precious babies in my arms, as did they! Well as I posted before my friend Brooke miscarried a few weeks ago and yesterday my sister discovered she too had begun bleeding and lost her little one. Never having experienced this incredible loss I can not say I understand and am in some ways at a loss for what to say at all!
Both these women have lost children they have never seen but were already so deeply in love with them, I know they are in pain... Brooke's pain has begun to heal although I am sure the wound is still deep in her heart... Ruthie is still in shock, a miscarriage was not expected.. it will take time and prayer for her to begin her healing process- but I know my sister and I know she is strong she to will rise up praising our Lord.
These losses have touched my heart so deeply and made me appreciate my own daughter that much more!
Thank you Lord for giving me Averi and allowing me to watch and feel her grow in me for 38 weeks and 3 days before she was placed in my arms... I lift up my sister her husband and son...touch their hearts, especially tonight as the pain is so fresh... comfort them and allow them to feel your presence more vividly then ever before! We praise you Lord even when we do not understand why because we know you are sovereign and you reign over all, including our unborn children!
Ruthie has asked that everyone pray for her, her husband James and her son Corbin. Pray that the Lord will heal their wounded hearts and that they will continue to praise God throughout this hard time!

Favorites

As everyone knows I LOVE taking pictures! Well, I think I got some of my favs so far this weekend...let me know what you think!