3 month picture recap

Time for a little 3 month picture catch up of what's been going on in our life. Hopefully I won't bore you! :)

In January we celebrated our 11 year anniversary! Wow! Here we are at Mount Magazine State Park---we love to go there. It is the highest peak in Arkansas and so beautiful!
My hub was being silly--he doesn't like the camera!





On January 22 our 5th niece was born to Jer's brother Dan and his wife Jennifer. Eleanor Anne (Ellie). She is so beautiful and such a good baby!



We got lots of snow this winter season! Oliver still had to have his frisbee time with Daddy every day!




My husband has spent lots of time here: His new studio...this used to be our garage. It was finished in December and we are very proud of it.




In February I met up with Krysta and Kaden! He is such a sweetheart and I'm hoping I'll get to spend more time with them this summer!




At the end of February Kristy, Kim, and myself held a surprise baby diaper sprinkle at school in the music room for my good friend Holli...she didn't know what she was having so we had a pink table and a blue table and had everyone dress up (yes, we copied this off of all those gender reveal parties!!!) It was lots of fun and Holli had a sweet baby boy in March named Madox. He is beautiful and his 2 big brothers are so proud!




Polka Dot Party Bunco was at my house in March! Even Holli came with Madox, who was 6 days old!



Last Sunday we entered Oliver in Bark 4 Life, a dog show to raise money for the American Cancer Society. There were 17 dogs there and Oliver wanted to meet everyone! He was quite the handful!




BUT, he is such a charmer, and ended up winning 4 ribbons! 1st place for Friendliest, 2nd place for Cutest, 2nd place for Best Trick, and 3rd place for Best Retriever. We were SO PROUD!!! Jeremiah said to me on the way home, "This must be what it feels like to parents when their child does something good!"




Hopefully one of my next pictures will be of one of my best friends from college, Kara, and her new baby Sarah Corine. Kara is in labor RIGHT NOW and I'm so excited! This is their 1st child!

That's it! Happy Easter everyone! I'm so thankful for Jesus dying for ME and for YOU and for His unending love. I know I don't deserve it, but He accepts me and loves me just as I am. I pray my life is a reflection of His love and compassion.

I'm Baaaccckkk.............for 1 post at least!

Well, as you already know, I stink at blogging! I enjoy doing it, but can't seem to find the time and when I do have time, feel like my little life is so boring! I've started a post a couple times in the past 3 months, but then thought, "why does anyone want to read about this?" and canceled it. I do still read blogs every day on google reader at school!

Nothing is different in my life. No pregnancy, new job, new car, etc. Most days I'm totally fine with that, and then other days I'm as depressed as can be. To be perfectly honest, somedays reading blogs really depresses me. My husband and I have discussed it and he has asked me to stop reading so many infertility blogs as most of the women eventually get pregnant and then it reminds me once again that I am not and then I question what we've done wrong. Please don't misunderstand, those of you reading this who are pregnant or have children, that is awesome and God has truly blessed you! He has blessed me too, but not with a child yet and I still grieve about that. And somedays reading blogs makes me question if we aren't pursuing hard enough or praying hard enough, because other women achieve pregnancy, and we don't. We have not done IVF again and are not going to at this point--we believe that God is going to bless us another way and we are excited about that, but I still grieve for not carrying a child in my womb.

I started this blog to be an outlet for my struggles with infertility, but you know, when I talk about it and think about it too much, the depression is overwhelming. You that are still walking this rough road know exactly what I'm talking about. So......now you know one of the main reasons I don't blog much....I don't wanna depress myself or my few readers! With that said, here is what makes us happy right now!

Our baby Oliver! What a joy this little guy is!

And now for something else that makes me happy--dinner with Kristy and her Jeremiah and my Jeremiah!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM JEREMIAH, SUSAN, & OLIVER

My great friend Kristy took these for us for our Christmas cards---I guess I should have participated in the Christmas Card Carousel posts that happened last week, but I'm a little behind! Trying to get a very excited Boston Terrier to pose was NOT easy! But Kristy was very patient--unlike Mommy here!

Hallelujah!!!!!!!

No school for 17 days! Whoop whoop!!!!!!!!!

Check...check...check...

My list for the month of December has been a mile long it seems, but I think we are winding things down now (well, sort of).........

1. Elementary Christmas musical-CHECK

2. McPherson Christmas Ball--biggest party of the season-CHECK

3. High school band/choir concert-CHECK

4. "Imagine Christmas" play--4 performances-CHECK

5. High school choir/band Christmas parties-CHECK

6. Christmas shopping completed-CHECK

7. Christmas gifts wrapped and under the tree-CHECK

8. Home remodel--turn garage into room/recording studio for hubby-CHECK AS OF THIS WEDNESDAY

All of this=1 tired chicky!

What's left?

1. Ornament party tonight

2. Best friend's daughters' select choir performance tonight after ornament party

3. Spare bedroom remodel

4. Christmas parties Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday

5. Meeting Krysta and Kaden in Fort Smith next Wednesday

6. Mother-in-law's birthday brunch on Christmas Eve

7. Christmas!!!!

8. Our band, Muzzleloader playing at a 3 day youth rally

9. Our 11-year anniversary

First party of the season....

Last night was the annual McPherson Christmas Ball. Our close friends throw a huge party the first Friday night of December. This was our 4th year to attend the ball. Lots of friends attend...I think they counted around 80 last night. Wow! Here is us with the McPherson's:

Jeremy & Mika:

Jer's brother Dan and his wife Jennifer (and Ellie--niece #5 for us will be making her debut in January 2010!)

Just relaxin':

A great time was had by all--lots of great food, great friends, great dancing, and lots of laughs!

I have a cold today--I've been sneezing a lot the past couple days and it hit me hard today. Yuck. Maybe it will be over with by Monday--I have my high school concert Tuesday night, and then the community/church Christmas program Friday-Sunday.

Oh, and one more thing--last Sunday Kristy took our Christmas card pics...go here to check them out! Trying to get a 9 month old Boston Terrier to cooperate was not easy! Thanks Kristy! You're awesome!

I'm thankful....

I have realized through this season of my life, I haven't been too thankful. I struggle with complaining and being negative sometimes--in a lot of areas, not just my infertility. Reading all your posts about thankfulness has really helped open my eyes. I am so blessed and want that to be my focus! My sis-in-law, Jennifer, has a sign in her house that says, "Want What You Have". I love that. It is so true.

So here is my thankful list (a day late--sorry, I was too busy stuffing my mouth yesterday!):

1. My Lord and Savior who loves me day in and day out--no matter my mood!
2. My sweet husband who loves me unconditionally and who makes me laugh.
3. Our baby for the time being---Oliver the Boston Terrier. He is the best snuggler!
4. Our family--we are all such good friends and I love spending time with them.
5. Our sweet nieces and nephews who have an abundance of hugs and kisses for us.
6. Our jobs---Jeremiah and I both enjoy going to our jobs every day and that is so important! I have 7 performances coming up in the next two weeks between my school and the community Christmas play! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but I choose to be thankful!
7. Our new room addition--it's almost done!
8. Our future child.
9. My teacher friends at school, Kristy, Kim, and Holli-you make the day fun! (It's almost Bunco time again ladies!)
10. My very close friend Krysta--you are such a blessing to me!
11. A 5 day weekend! Yay for sleeping in!
12. A new season in 2010!

My hubby and I went to see "New Moon"....great movie! All the girls squealing everytime they saw Edward or Jacob was funny at first, then started to get on my nerves!!!!!!! This one lady in front of us kept squealing and making very loud comments at really quiet parts of the movie. Oh brother! My husband liked the movie so much he went and bought the soundtrack!

Time to go to my mother-in-laws and eat some leftovers! Yum!