craziness...

I am at work and have a moment of down time. Let me just say this last few weeks has been a struggle! I am sure a lot of it has to do with being pregnant and my hormones going buckwild but still life has seemed to be insanity!
I LOVE my job! When I say LOVE I mean LOVE. The people I work with are terrific, the job fits me to a tea, and I feel like what I do actually means something. If you ask Averi what mommy does she will tell you "mommy takes care of tiny babies" that to me is precious! I have been pretty sick with this bambino which makes everything exceedingly difficult tho, my midwife gave me some much needed relief however when she called me in a prescription for zofran, if I do not take it right at the 6 hour mark tho I am in big trouble! We took a mini vacation to Louisville last week, it was quick but needed...it was so nice to see our friends and visit family! I also took the girls to eastern KY to visit with my Nana (kev had to work) it was wonderful.
So I find working conflicting. I am incredibly blessed to have a job that allows me so much flexibility with my days, I often am able to schedule myself 3 days in a row then have 5 or 6 days off before I do another 3. The last few weeks have been especially insane because of traveling and then of course the holidays, I have to remind myself that it will not always be this way!
The hardest aspect of working is how hard it can make it to become involved with other moms, I was consistently going to a Wednesday night bible study and thoroughly enjoyed my small group there but have had to miss several weeks of it because of working. I also had planned to join MOPS but that did not work out. Kevin and I love serving in our college group but have had a more difficult time finding a Sunday school class with which to connect in, please continue to uplift that in your prayers!
We love living here in TN we love being closer to family and are making friendships and building relationships at our church. Mine working has relieved so many financial burdens for us and in that regard has made life a lot more calm. Kev does incredibly well with the girls and the house when I am not around and for that I am thankful. It is so hard for me to relinquish those tasks to him though because being a wife and mom is my joy and being a wife and mom to me includes the house work and the majority of things related to the girls! I will admit a part of me still strongly desires to stay home full time, it would be my dream job. But the other part of me enjoys being a help to our family financially, especially because I so enjoy my job... it is contradicting emotions I suppose!
I cant help but already stress about how everything will work when this new baby arrives. Kevin reminds me over and over that Gods hand is over us, that He is always sovereign and his plan is perfection but I still stress out over the legistics!
Things should begin to ease up a bit in a few weeks, once I pass up this 1st trimester I will feel better and that will help so much. Also Kevin's job has been incredibly time consuming and stressful the last month so once that calms down that will help as well. We also have a new sitter starting the 2ND week of Jan. I currently sleep at my in laws after I work night shift and my sister in law keeps the girls there but one of the college girls graciously offered to come to our house and do it for the same price (God is so good) this will be extra nice so the girls and I wont have to spend so much time in the car. There is not a point to this post I suppose. I just wanted to record where we were at at this busy moment. God has richly blessed us, I know he will continue to do so!

christmas tree and some cookies

several weeks ago we put up the christmas tree, baked cookies and spent the evening as a family. It was so fun to see Averi get so into it!It made me extra excited for Christmas this year!

My hat mom!

this was one of those moments I found my daughter utterly gross yet terribly hilarious, I couldnt help but catch it on camera... she came out of the bathroom and told me "my hat mom...this my hat"

thanksgiving...

We spent thanksgiving at Kevins uncles house, we have spent all but one thanksgiving there since we started dating and it is always an incredibly sweet time with family! I can not say enough how blessed we are to have so much support from all of Kevins family! I am most thankful I married into such a loving family.

sweet suprise...

so here we are 5 weeks pregnant. It has begun to sink in that we will have 3 little ones under three years old in a short nine months. And as insanely nervous as that makes me I must admit since the initial shock has worn off I am begining to feel very excited. I try so hard to not let myself get too excited because of all the "what ifs" but I have to admit, we have already discussed names, we have already decided on the name for a boy (this was decided long before we were pregnant), we have discussed who will sleep where and what needs to be done to prepare before the big day. But as excited as I am I also worry. I fret over every little thing! I am in a constant state of concern over whether or not I will miscarry whether or not I will carry this baby to term and bring home a healthy baby to join our family. I was the same way with Sofie...I myself have never experienced a miscarriage or any major complications with either Averi or Sofie but oh how I worry. I have seen the pain in that loss, I have watched my sister lose babies and friends lose babies,it is a pain I dont want to experience. But what I fail to remember is this baby is not mine. This baby is not Kevins. This baby belongs to my heavenly father. My Father who crafted me in my mothers womb, who crafted Kevin in his mothers and who crafted Averi and Sofie so perfectly in my womb. How can I doubt a God who has given me so much, how can I say I trust him with all yet struggle so severely to hand him the tiny tiny life inside of me and say let his will be done, when in fact whether I say it or not it will be.
It is amazing how deeply you can love a baby so small, but I do! I do not however love this baby more then my Lord and Savior, and he has called me to trust, he has called me to give him everything my marriage my children I can physically hold and my child who is within me. So I will, when the "what ifs" enter my mind I will say
Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.
No matter what my God is good, he is sovereign and he is worthy of my trust!

number three....

We just found out baby Yates number three is on the way! We are so excited to meet this little one and feel incredibly blessed that God has blessed us three times. We are praying for a healthy pregnancy and child most of all! We know the strain three little ones may be but are not afraid, we strongly believe this child is a gift from God and that he would not give us more then we can handle... and I mean handle emotionally, physically and financially. We love being parents and are in a better place financially then we were at either of our other daughters births which has relieved a lot of stress in the suprise! We also enjoy our girls being so close in age and are happy number three will be right there to follow the duo! God will give us the strength we need, I will recieve a maternity leave at work and then will go back to work... I LOVE my job and cant imagine leaving it at this point, the sleep will come in short shifts like it has for the last two and a half years, we have tons of support and love so I know we will be ok. This child is already so loved, I cant wait to hold he or she in my arms , I am just trying to trust Gods plan for this child as it grows in my womb! Praise the Lord the giver of life!

fall pictures

My brother was in town this weekend and did these pictures of our family, I am in love!
our family...






Me and our girls...



Me and my love...




our babies...

Thankful...

I am so thankful for this man... He loves me unconditionally, He loves me when I am being completely irrational and when I am being down right mean, He loves me when I am being funny and when I am balling my eyes out. after three and a half years and two babies he still wants to spend time with me, He still likes taking me on dates, we still enjoy just being together, he is still my best friend! He has been my coach through both our daughters birth and has helped me through night feedings, night rockings, night fevers and night diaper changes... he adores our daughters and they him... we often marvel at how incredibly blessed we are to have TWO healthy, vibrant and beautiful daughters! He works incredibly hard to provide for us yet never forgets to place time with us and time with the Lord above his job! We both are growing and changing in the Lord, our life isn't what we pictured it would be on our wedding day, it is SO much better. I am thankful for this man, thankful to call him my husband, thankful that he still buys me flowers and never misses a day to hug or kiss me, thankful that God chose me to be his bride!

Trick or treat...

things have been crazy hectic this last week... so this post is going to be short on words!
Last week was halloween,Averi was minnie mouse and miss P was a fairy...




our first stop was Kevs Grannys...




We spent most the day at Grannys and by the time we got home Sofie was EXHAUSTED so she went to bed and Kev stayed at home to pass out candy, and I took Averi trick or treating...


SHE LOVED it...at every door she said "trick or treat please", so sweet!

in on year...

... Averi and Sofe last year.



in just one year how did my sweet baby turn into a beautiful little girl?
Averi at two and a half...



and how did my sweet infant become a gorgeous toddler?

Sofie one years old...

Sofies zebra birthday!

Sofie turned one on thursday! I worked wednesday night while Kev was in louisville and the girls stayed with Nana and Papa, I got off on thursday morning and rushed to my in laws so I could see my birthday girl! I brought doughnuts and Auntie K decorated the whole kitchen for Sof! We were able to have a mini party before I went to sleep for a few hours, Sofie tried her doughnut, which she didnt seem to enjoy and "opened" a few presents, it was a great morning, I so appreciate Auntie K helping me make it extra special!
One of my dear friends, Sarah, came from louisville to visit and specifically for Sofies party, so she joined Kev, Av and I friday for Sofies birthday dinner with Nana, Papa, Auntie K and Addison... we enjoyed some chicken and had a little bonfire, it was the perfect night!
Saturday was her "big" party! I am all about birthdays, not that a lot of money has to be spent but just that a big deal is made, so we sortve have birthday weeks! Her party was "zebra" themed and turned out super cute, lots of hot pink and black. We had tons of family and friends here to help celebrate and despite the cake collapsing, thank goodness Kevins cousins wife Kathy was here to help put it back together for atleast a few pictures, it was a GREAT day! Sofie loved all the attention, recieved some awesome gifts and after a few minutes of prompting devoured some serious cake! And as an added bonus my other friend Lindsay and her husband Shawn were able to come to her party and stay through sunday, always great to see them! Between louisville friends, murfreesboro friends and lots of family you could certainly see how incredibly blessed my babes (and Kev and I) are to have so many paople love us!

Happy first birthday Sofia Pearl

Dear Sofia,
On the 21st you turned one years old. It is hard to believe it has already been a year since your birth day! When we discovered we were pregnant with you we were a little suprised, but truthfully overjoyed! Your pregnancy was great, you were so active and I loved watching you twist and turn and jump inside me...my belly was always going wild! You were four days late, I though I was going to be pregnant forever! Your birth was exceedinly difficult as I went without drugs, but your birth was beautiful, working so hard and long and being so exhusated was so worth the moment they laid you on my chest! I was wrapped around your finger from the first moment! You were a difficult infant but quickly changed into one of the happiest babies I have ever seen! You are loving you cuddle with me still. You are wild you climb everything and started walking at ten months! You are sweet, you smile and giggle and waive at everyone! We adore you! We praise God for gifting us you! We cant imagine our home without you Sofie!

Weigh in...

when i started weight watchers my goal was to be at my wedding day weight (175), I knew it was a high goal... 7 months to lose 85 lbs. Ive worked hard, had ups and downs...killed myself and sometimes treated myself with a big bowl of ice cream when I was sick of yogurt and weight watchers fudge bars... and today the day came for my weigh in, I knew I hadnt hit my goal... I am 186.1. I am not upset AT ALL though. Since Ive been going to the gym so much I can comfortably fit into the jeans I was wearing on my wedding day and honestly I feel great. I So in right around seven months I have lost a total of 69.6lbs! I am delighted. I will keep working hard, I will remained focus, i will get to my goal, and I will keep the weight off!

a great weekend...

We started out our Saturday with a trip to one of Kev's college memories that he wanted to introduce us to, "Doughnut country" (YUM). It is a tiny little doughnut shop that at 9am on a Saturday was packed out, so enjoyable tho... I had a full conversation about ear piercing, motherhood and little girls with the lady at the table next to us, one thing I am noticing about the south is people are so kind, I love it!
here are a few pics of us enjoying our doughnuts, notice how big my "YUM YUM" was... I couldn't even eat it all!




We then headed to Kevins parents house, He watched Auburn play while the girls napped there and my sister in law and I headed to another family members (holly) pampered Chef party! It was so fun, had I had the money I would have bought the whole catalogue!



We ended Saturday with a bang at a family friend Ronnie's 60Th birthday bash! everyone dressed up in 50s attire and danced the night away! It was a total blast!






We got home late Saturday and our nephew Addison spent the night and went to church with us in the morning. We then had some dear friends of ours, the Roberts family over for cheeseburger soup, which by the way turned out AMAZING if I do say so myself! Over all a GREAT weekend!