Welcome Katelyn Elizabeth!!

I have not posted in a while, but we have very exciting news to announce. The Lord blessed us with a very special Christmas present this year, one week before Christmas. Baby Katelyn Elizabeth was born December 18, 2011 at 5:04 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was/is 20 inches long. She is just beautiful and we are so proud to have her join our family. Another thing that makes her birthday special is that she shares it with her Great Granny Wilkes! Granny is just delighted that she was born on her birthday. :)
Katelyn is already so strong; she started holding her head up while in the hospital within the first four days of her life, and boy does she have a set of lungs! She also has long feet, toes, and fingers so we think she may take after me and play the piano, or take after her Boboo (and Ya-Ya) and play basketball. Only time will tell! Here are a few photos of our little Christmas blessing.

Jackson is a great big brother and loves to hold her and help me with her. My parents have been kind enough to keep him for a few days while Katelyn and I get adjusted to our new routines, and I am thankful for that; although Monday I had a very good day with both of them here with me.
I must say it has been quite an adjustment for all of us; life is really crazy right now, but we have a great time working through everything! Jackson is just wide open these days and his favorite phrase is..."Hey Mommy.....fill in the blank" He asks so many questions and learns so quickly; he also has a very creative imagination. I love to play with him and don't want him to feel left out or that he's not getting the attention he deserves, but it's hard sometimes when you're trying to nurse a newborn! I tried nursing with Jackson, but he never latched on well and then my milk supply couldn't keep up with him demand - and I was just worn out overall! I'm determined to stick with it this time, but so far the biggest challenge - other than milk production - has been keeping Katelyn awake while she's nursing. Meanwhile I am trying to pump every 2-3 hours to keep everything up. I figure since she takes the bottle pretty well, and stay awake, I can at least give her my milk that way. Maybe too much information, but that is what's on my mind!! Sorry!

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and I wish everyone (whoever you are) a Happy New Year!

Counting Down....

I'm not sure if anyone even reads this blog, but I will continue recording life's happenings for my future reference at least!

For the time being, I am finishing up my last few days at work before I begin my maternity leave next week. On that front, things have been rather hectic because the managers here have waited until the last minute to hire a temp. for me to train, so it's coming down to training sessions my last two days at work! Of course, that seems to always be the pace around here, so I shouldn't have expected anything less.

In other news, our "new" home at 405 Mandalay is coming along; the progress seems rather slow, but any progress is good progress, right? So we closed on the home November 16th and Andrew has spent the majority of his spare time there demolishing things we will be changing, which is most of the house, and preparing it for renovations. The foundation crew is out this week repairing the foundation for the addition/living room area, the new walls for my kitchen and our bath shower have been put up, and the drain for the kitchen sink has been moved. We are still waiting on an additional short wall in the kitchen to be added so that the plumber can finish his work for the sink, and while he's at it, we will try to have him install our shower unit. Unfortunately, there has been a delay in ordering that and other things because we waited until this week to open credit accounts with Lowe's, Home Depot, and Chase. So, we have to wait until the cards get here, and then the additional time it takes to ship the items before we can start on those things. Needless to say, this has been a very good learning experience for us! I keep reminding myself to be patient and we just keep plugging along.

Our plan was/is to rent our current residence as soon as we move into our new home, and the Lord has answered our prayers there by providing a very interested tenant who will be returning from Iraq this month and reporting to Camp Shelby next month for duty. Praise His name!! That has relieved some stress for sure!

Of course, on the forefront of my mind is the arrival of our baby girl, Katelyn. My due date is 9 days away and the doctor still hasn't given me the good news I've wanted to hear, which is that I've started dialating and preparing for labor. The 16th is the expected date of her arrival, but I was hoping she would come a week early. I guess it could still happen with the full moon around the corner this weekend; I'm being hopeful at least. I have my hospital bag packed, a bag packed for Katelyn, her nursery is ready, and all we have to do is install the car seat to bring her home!

Jackson seems to be excited about the prospect of having a baby sister, and being the big brother. He asked me last week when we could go to the hospital to get baby sister....too cute! I told him she was still in Mommy's belly and we would have to wait until she was ready. He has been such a joy these days and has really enjoyed his new elf friend, Boyd. His Ya-Ya heard about this Christmas trend from other friends and couldn't resist getting one for Jackson. It is the Elf on a Shelf and he has enjoyed it much more than we imagined. The story of the elf is that he has magical powers that allow him to report back to Santa each night and let him know if the child has been Naughty or Nice. If you touch him, he loses some of his powers and cannot report back to Santa. He appears in a different place in your home each day, and Jackson loves to see where he will show up each morning! I thnk this Christmas will be more exciting for Jackson than his first two, so I am really looking forward to that!

Until next time...

Thanksgiving Day 30 - Sunshine!!

So Monday I was thankful for the brisk winter weather, although we didn't see much sunshine, but today I am very thankful to see the beautiful, bright, cheery sunshine!

I love the sun for many reasons - in the Summer months we are able to bask in it while working on our tans (ha ha....mine needs lots of work!), in the Winter months it warms our bodies when we stand in its direct path (especially if we're wearing a dark color), in the Fall it illuminates the beautifully changing red, yellow, and orange leaves, and in the Spring it welcomes warmer weather and new growth on trees, flowers, grass, etc.

The sun makes me smile....so let the sun shine in!!

Thanksgiving Day 29 - Personal/Sick Days at Work

So today I woke up and felt completely exhausted. My body was screaming, "You need more rest young lady....and that baby inside you needs you to rest so that you will be ready to greet her properly!". So, I listened to what my body was telling me, and put myself on bedrest today. I am so thankful that I work for a company that doesn't make a big "to do" about me taking the sick time they give me, and I've earned, each year. Working in retail management, anytime (which was very rare) I needed a sick day, I was questioned about it and almost persuaded that I wasn't really sick and that I would be in trouble if I took time. So, I am very thankful that I can take a much needed day to rest without being harrassed about it!

I am feeling much better after the extra rest.....;)

Thanksgiving Day 28 - Winter weather

I am thankful for winter weather! Living in the South, it's not often that we see what you would call "true" seasonal weather, so today I am thankful for the brisk winter temperatures we've been having. It is nice to cuddle up under a blanket, with a cup of hot chocolate, in front of a twinkling Christmas tree on chilly nights at home! And, it's nice to finally put to good use all those cute sweaters and coats we have!

Also, something about the chill in the air prepares me for the Christmas season!

Thanksgiving Day 27 - The internet

Today I am thankful for the internet and how easy it makes our lives on a daily basis. We have access to volumes of information at our fingertips and can re-unite with "old" friends and families through social networking, it's just amazing the things we can do via the internet. And I especially like blogging as well!

Thanksgiving Day 26 - Our Home(s)

Today I am thankful that the Lord has blessed us to own our home, and to have the opportunity to purchase another, larger,  foreclosure home that we will move in as soon as renovations are completed. There are so many families who are not afforded this opportunity and I am so thankful to the Lord for providing shelter for my family and me.

Thank you Lord for our home, and may your love abound in it!

Thanksgiving Day 25 - My Parents

Today I am thankful for my parents and all they have done for me over the years. We've all been through exciting and challenging times, but we have grown together as a result. I am thankful that they have been there for me, and especially today as they are keeping Jackson so that I can relax a little bit and get some things done at the house in preparation for Christmas!

I love you Mom and Dad!

Thanksgiving Day 24 - Our troops

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am so thankful for all the soldiers who give up their time with family to go abroad and protect the freedom's we enjoy each day. Not only abroad, but here at home as well. May they be blessed with a very special Thanksgiving today and may the Lord protect and guide them.

Thanksgiving Day 23 - Massages!

I must say, whoever discovered massage therapy was a genius! A few months ago a dear friend purchased a gift certificate for me to have a one hour massage as my mommy gift, and yesterday I cashed in my gift certificate and enjoyed a much needed massage. It was somewhat uncomfortable at first, because I have such a hard time letting myself breath deep and relax, so that took some practice. After I got the hang of that, and incoporated the massage therapist's advice of concentrating on feeling "heavy", it was so much more relaxing and soothing. Massages are wonderful!!

Thanksgiving Day 22 - Rain

Today we got some much needed rain and I'm hoping all my plants got enough water, because I always forget to water them when I get home from work! Rain is God's brilliant way of watering his creation and making it grow. Thank you for the rain!

Thanksgiving Day 21 - Dishwashers

I am so thanksful for dishwashers and how much easier they make my life! All I have to do is make sure dishes are loaded, pour in the dishwashing liquid, close the door, press start, and vois la (spelling, lol)! Clean dishes an hour or so later! I usually do this at night before we go to bed and we have clean dishes in the morning. What a treat!

Just thankful that I do not have to hand wash my dishes!

Thanksgiving Day 20 - Hospitable People

Today I am thankful for the hospitable people of this world, and especially of my church family. I'm sure you all know those people who make doing things for others part of their personal ministry, and that is such a blessing. Whether it be provide meals for someone who is greiving, sick, recovering from childbirth or surgery, job loss, etc. or loaning clothing or other things to you when needed, or their time and services, these people truly show the love of Christ in the things they do.

In the hustle and bustle of this life, I am thankful that there are still people who offer to make life easier, and remind us to slow down and enjoy the fellowship that is important in building relationships. And, that it's ok to accept help from others, especially when it is their ministry to do so.

"Be hospitable to one another without complaint." I Peter 4:9

 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25: 34-40

Lord, please let me be that hospitable person you have called me to be! Help me to lend a helping hand when I see those in need, and be encouragement for those who need to be uplifted.

Thanksgiving Day 19 - Helping Hands

Today I am thankful to friends and family who have offered to help on our new house renovations, and other things when we need them. It is such a blessing to know that you have a support system of folks who love you enough to come help whenever you call!

I know Andrew is thankful for this as well, as he has been doing all the renovation preparation on our new house so far; I would be right there with him if I were not 8-9 months pregnant! And it's a little tough with an energetic two year-old running around!

Thank you Ya-Ya for coming to help this past weekend! We really appreciate it!

Thanksgiving Day 18 - Our Vehicles

This may seem like a weird thing to be thankful for, but with a son and a soon-to-be daughter, and Andrew and myself working full-time, I couldn't imagine only having one, or no vehicle!!

There have been few times when we've been down to one vehicle, when one is in the shop or something, but I know from others that this can be quite a struggle if you have to deal with it on a daily basis. It just adds more stress. Yet, for others, it becomes a better way of communicating with the family. and cutting back on how much they spend on gas each month.

At 36.5 weeks pregnant, I must say that I am very thankful that I do not have to walk to work everyday. So, I am thankful to the Lord for providing vehicles for me and my husband to use for transport to and from work and other places. ;)

Thanksgiving Day 17 - Friends

Today I am thankful for the close friends God has brought into my life. Over the years I have met so many kind, warm, humerous, and compassionate friends who have stuck with me through the ups and downs of life. Some have been there through certain seasons, and others have been there for several seasons, and I hope they continue to be there for many more!

Friends share stories, life experiences, advice, recipes, photographs, baby clothes (once you have children), Christmas cards, laughs, a good cry, good food and fellowship, memories, and the list goes on and on. No matter how near or far you are from each other, there is a special bond with a close friend, knowing they will always be there for you. And it's not that you just "share" those things; you are involved in those things. " A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

"Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's counsel that comes from the heart." Proverbs 27: 9

"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27: 17

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) - This is the best advice I've ever received about building friendships; to have friends, you must be a friend!

 I want to include this link to a poem entitled, "Friendship" http://www.heavensinspirations.com/flfriendship.html

I would say the two most important friendships in my life right now are that of my Lord, and my husband. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are adopted into the family of God and no longer considered servants, but friends. There is no greater honor in life!

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."  John 15: 15(NKJV)

"You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do."  John 15: 14

"No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends." John 15: 13

Concerning my friendship with my husband..... "His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." Song of Solomon 5: 16. Friendship to your spouse brings great joy and love to marriage, for I cannot imagine marrying someone who was not first my friend. I love you Andrew Scott Ellard, my love and my friend!

I am thankful for the friendships God has blessed me with in this life, and know that those friendships will go on forever because they were created on the foundation of the Lord.

Thanksgiving Day 16 - Missionaries

Today I am thankful for all the IMB missionaries who give up the comfort of the "American dream" to follow God's dream of reaching the world for Him. These people are amazing and have an incredible heart for missions. Last night we were blessed with the opportunity to host, along with our local William Carey University,  a commissioning service of 77 new missionaries at our church. It was the most moving service I have attended in a while; to see the hearts of these people and hear their stories, their backgrounds, and how God has turned their hearts to the unreached people groups of the world. I have such admiration for missionaries, and sometimes feel that God is calling me to go! I just pray that he will ignite that same passion within my husband and reveal His will to me in that area.

I really enjoyed Dr. Elliff's challenge to all of us; he reminded us that as Christians we are all on mission and shouldn't think we can "check out" and assume that other people will carry the gospel to the dark corners of the earth. It is our call as well, and we, as Paul, should feel a sense of obligation and debt to the Lord Jesus to make his gospel known to all people. We should see all people as God's creation, made in his image, who have souls that will either die and go to hell, or receive Christ as their savior and live eternally with Him. It is our call, and our obligation, to take the good news to those who don't know Him.

We don't have to go to foreign soil to do this; as Dr. Elliff said, those people live behind the closed curtains and blinds of our neighborhood homes every day. If his 93 year-old father can have a cook-out and tell his neighbors about Jesus, what is holding us back? If it's age, this man is a prime example that you are never to old to be on mission for the Lord. Whatever it may be, get out of your comfort zone and go tell the good news!!

Lord, thank you so much for the missionaries, true Christian soldiers, who give up their lives, and put their lives in danger for your work each day. Please help us all to take that call more seriously and put our faith to work for You! As the book of James tells us, faith without works is dead, so please don't let us die spiritually as a result of workless faith, let us die to ourselves so that we may live more for You. I ask these things in Jesus name, Amen!

Thanksgiving Day 15 - God's Provision

Today I am thankful for the Lord's provision in my life. No matter what needs we have, whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or monetary, the Lord has always provided all that we need. He tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

God has provided so much to me in my life; salvation through Jesus Christ, a wonderful husband, family, son, a home, clothes on my back, a good job, income, warm meals, hope, the comfort of the Holy Spirit, unexpected surprises from friends, and more recently, baby clothes from friends and family!

Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (ESV)

I love this reminder that even when we are under a heavy burden and need the Lord to provide, we should just cast that burden on the Lord and He will bear it for us....and will sustain us! All we have to do is trust in His loving provision for us.

Lord, thank you for your constant provision in my life, and for the unfailing love and hope I have in you. Please let me never take for granted the things you provide for us, and help me to be more content with the things we have and not covet other things. In Jesus name, Amen.

Thanksgiving Day 14 - The Word of God

Today I am thankful for the Word of God, the Holy Bible. It is our "love letter" from the Lord; I know that sounds so cliche', but it's so true. It's through the Word that we begin to know the Lord and who He is, what he loves, what he expects of his disciples, what he despises and detests, the ways he has provided for His children, His will, etc. We read about how Jesus Christ came and died on the cross to pay the sin debt that we could not pay, and die the death we should have died, and how to receive that ultimate gift of salvation from the Lord.

We read in Proverbs, the book of wisdom, how to be more wise and consider all of our ways, but not to lean on our ways. The first book, Genesis, tells us how the Lord created everything that was ever made, Exodus about the Isrealites exodus from Egypt. So much history in the Old Testament, and such hope in the prophesy and in the New Testament.

No matter what I'm going through or feeling, I can always go to the Word of the Lord and ask Him to reveal something to me during that moment, and He always lays a scripture on my heart that is comforting and inspiring; just what I need when I need it. It is such a blessing to have his Word as a guide in life, because I don't know where I would be without it. " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." John 1: 1-2

Phillipians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do everything through him who give me strength."

Ephesians 3: 20-21 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."

These are a few of my favorite verses and I hope they are inspiring to you! Lord, please help me to do a better job of hiding your Word in my heart.... What is the Lord telling you through His Word today?

Thanksgiving Day 13 - My sense of Touch

And the last of the five senses I am thankful for, but certainly not the least, is my sense of touch. Our sense of touch is important in so many ways, as it serves to alert us when something is hot, cold, prickly, slippery, smooth, etc. And it's not just located on one specific area of the body, but we can feel things all over our body through our skin! Isn't that amazing?? Did you know the most sensative areas of your body are your hands, lips, face, neck, tongue, fingertips, and feet? And that there are about 100 touch receptors in each of your fingertips?

The blind use their fingertips to learn how to read Braile by feeling the patterns of the raised dots on their paper. I'm sure they are very thankful to have their sense of touch to rely on in the absense of their sight. The Lord definitely knew what He was doing when he created us with the sense of touch throughout our bodies.....to serve as more of a protective measure than anything, but lets not forget there are many other ways we enjoy touch.

For all you "huggers" out there, there is nothing better than a warm hug from someone you care about, and it's a way of showing affection to your friends when you greet them. For a lot of you, physical touch is your love language, according to Gary Chapman's book Five Love Languages, so this becomes a very important way of communicating as well. Not to mention a very important way of connecting in other ways....huh huh hummmm!

I don't know about you, but I am very thankful for my sense of touch. Thank you God for creating us to "feel" life!

Thanksgiving Day 12 - My Sight

Continuing with thankfulness for the five senses, today I am thankful for my sight. I am thankful that even when my alarm goes off in the morning, I know that the first thing that happens after I hear it is that I see what time it is, and depending on how fuzzy that looks, have the option to hit snooze for a few more minutes!

I am so thankful to be able to see where I'm walking, where I'm driving, what I'm cooking, what I'm drawing/painting, my husband and my son, colors, patterns, textures, beautiful sunsets, sunrises, the changing of the leaves in the fall, the occasional winter snow, God's majestic mountains, the crashing of waves on the shore at the beach, when people smile, letters and words so that I can read and write, beautiful landscapes and family memories captured in photographs, my friends, and the way God works through His amazing creation.

There are so many other things I could list; what are some ways or reasons you are thankful for your sight?

Thanksgiving Day 11 - My sense of Smell

Today, or on Day 11, I am thankful for my sense of smell. Your sense of smell not only alerts you to something going wrong, for example, burning wood, rubber, paper, etc. warning us of fire; but we are able to enjoy so many wonderful scents as well.

It's pretty amazing that the Lord created this little opening on the front of our faces, with two small holes, wherewith we could smell things. I'm sure originally the human sense of smell was more critical when men hunted and gathered crops than it is today. Just think of all the things they discovered with their little noses, lol.  Although if you're shopping for a good ripe canteloupe, you'll probably see folks smelling them to see if they smell ripe enough!

The perfume industry should definitely be thankful for our sense of smell, for that is exactly what they capitalize on; do we like to smell of floral scents? natural scents? exotic scents? etc. and the list goes on and on.

Some of my favorite scents are: vanilla, coffee, fresh laundry, rain, freshly mowed grass, apples and cinnamin (Christmas!), pumpkin, my husband's perfume, the smell of a newborn baby, suntan lotion, cedar, and bar-b-que.

Thanksgiving Day 11 - My sense of Taste!

Today I am thankful for my sense of taste! I'm sure most people are and food is so delicious!

Just think of how bland things, food, life would be without our sense of taste. We wouldn't be able to enjoy those foods and beverages we have all come to love. I have also discovered, with the aid of my sense of taste, the foods and beverages I don't quite care for either.

Here are a few favorites that I am thankful to be able to enjoy.... there are many more, but I simply don't have the time to include them all! Maybe you will see some of your favorites here too...

Grilled tilapia

Lasagna

Cheeseburger in paradise!!

Chicken Quesadilla Salad from Garfield's

Southern Fried Chicken with the fixings

Steak!!

Turkey and dressing complete with cranberry sauce

Fried Catfish with hushpuppies and coleslaw

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing!

Double layer pumpkin cheesecake

Edy's French Silk Ice Cream

Edward's Turtle Pie

Starbucks Mocha Frappacinno

Diary Queen's pumpkin pie blizzard

 I am so thankful the Lord has given me a sense of taste so that I can enjoy so many delicious foods and drinks!

Thanksgiving Day 10 - My Hearing

Today I chose hearing, as I think it is one of the five senses we (I) forget to be thankful for. As a mother, this sense is a must, with an energetic two-year old rolling out question after question. "Mommy, what's that?"..."Mommy, what's that?"...."Mommy, can I have apple juice please?"....."Mommy, come play with me"..."Mommy, go potty"....and on and on! You get the picture! And I love the fact that my little man asked me for help and is so curious about the world; just think, if I couldn't hear, I would miss out on all of these things. Not to mention the other things I enjoy, like hearing Jackson sing "Twinkle, Twinkle", the ABC song, Happy Birthday, etc. He is such a good little singer!

I also enjoy music very much, which would be impossible without my sense of hearing. I enjoy talking and listening to my husband (although that needs improvement from time to time, especially with a toddler interupting with a million questions!). I enjoy listening to our preacher read from the Word of God, hearing birds sing their beautiflu songs every day, the sound of rain falling on the rooftop, the sound of a babies first cry, the sound of our alarm clock waking us up for another day (thankful to be alive!), and so many other things.

Thank you Lord for my hearing and help me to be a better listener. ;)

Thanksgiving Day 9 - Hot Chocolate (or Cocoa)!

I know it sounds really simple, but there is just something very comforting about a good warm cup of hot chocolate. It just soothes the soul! There's nothing like having a warm cup of hot chocolate when you're at a football game on a rather chilly evening, or at Zoo Boo with friends when it gets cold. Perfecto!

Children of all ages enjoy hot cocoa.

It can be enjoyed simply, with marshmallows, with cinnamon, or with mint for the perfect Christmas beverage....

Last night after Jackson went to bed, and all the craziness of the day was over, Andrew offered to make me a cup of hot chocolate and I accepted with joy. Something about holding a warm mug, sipping the warm sweet combination of milk and chocolate while having a few marshmallows with each sip, just seems to make all stress disappear and bring a smile to my face. Sometimes happiness comes through the simple things in life!

And Katelyn enjoys when I have hot chocolate as well. It really packs an extra "punch" to her kicks! Thank you Andrew for making such a delicious cup of hot chocolate for me last night!

So here's to all the hot chocolate, hot cocoa lovers out there! Cheers!

Thanksgiving Day 8 - The Right to vote

Today I chose the right to vote because it is local election day in Hattiesburg, MS....and in most cities in MS! Today we voted on the new governor of our state along with many other important positions and initiatives. I am thankful that as citizens we have the right to make our voices heard through the voting process when electing our officials and making laws. We should not take this right lightly, and should always do our duty as citizens and cast our votes! Hope you didn't forget to vote today!

Thanksgiving Day 7 - My Baby Girl!

Although I have not met my baby girl, Katelyn, yet, I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me to have another baby and am excited to have a baby girl! Children are such a blessing from the Lord and I know she is going to be a wonderful addition to our family.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14

I pray that my daughter will grow up in the fear and admonition of the Lord, and that she will come to know the Lord at a young age and praise Him all of her days! I also pray that she will never doubt how much Andrew and I love her, and how much her big brother, Jackson, loves her!

I sometimes sit and wonder what she will look like; will she have my nose? Andrew's smile? Jackson's blue eyes? What will her little personality be like? Will she be my little helper and best friend one day? I sure hope so, and I can't wait to meet her in a few short weeks!!

I am 34.5 weeks and can't wait for Katelyn Elizabeth to join our family. What a wonderful Christmas present she will be this year!!

Thanksgiving Day 5 & 6 - Family & Freedom to worship

Day 5 - Family

I am thankful for my family because no matter what happens, they are there for me! Every relationship is not perfect, we all have our days and little tiffs here and there, but in the end, we know we love each other and can depend on each other in times of need and encouragememt. I am blessed to have two encouraging and supportive brothers, Seth and Matthew, and loving parents. I am also blessed to have wonderful Christian in-laws.

I am blessed to have two grandparents still living in my family, and five in Andrew's family. So, Jackson still has 7 great-grandparents in his life right now!

Thank you Lord for my family, and most of all, for giving me the privaledge of being part of the family of God!

My Dad and Jackson

Jackson's cousin's

My sister-in-law, neice's, and Granny Wilks

My mother-in-law with Jackson

My mother with Jackson

Day 6 - Freedom to worship

I am thankful that every Sunday we have the freedom to attend church and worship our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, without the fear of being prosecuted and thrown in jail. In so many other countries people do not enjoy this freedom, yet so many Christians stand up and follow Christ no matter the cost. Thank you Lord for this freedom we enjoy, and may we never take it for granted. If there ever comes a time when this freedom is taken away, please give me the courage to stand strong for You even when it costs me my life.

Thanksgiving Day 4 - Rest

Today I am thankful for the rest the Lord gives us every night, and sometimes during the day! Not only the physical rest, as it helps our bodies to feel restored and ready to take on another day, but the spiritual rest in Him, knowing that He has the whole world in His hands.

I can't imagine how each day would be without getting the proper amount of rest/sleep. Thank you Lord for creating time for our weary bodies and souls to rest!

PS - Even the smallest bodies need plenty of rest....

Thanksgiving Day 3 - My Son, Jackson

On January 15, 2009 we learned that we were expecting this little bundle of joy! What an adventure it has been since he was born September 21, 2009! James Andrew Jackson Ellard (the second officially), was born on 9-21-09 at 8:04am weighing in at 8 lbs 4 oz and was 19.75 inches long. He has been a strong boy since he was born, after having to stay in the NICU for four days before going home. He had a little fluid on his lungs so they wanted to keep him in the NICU to make sure he didn't get an infection from it. Everything checked out great, but it was really hard not having him in the room with me the whole time. Needless to say that his alarming first few days did not slow him down one bit!

He has grown by leaps and bounds and it has been a joy to watch him grow and learn, quickly, new things. With each phase of life so far, we have also learned new things about ourselves. We've mostly learned how much fun it is to let our inner child bloom and have fun with Jackson, but we've also learned in training him up in the way of the Lord, that we were in need of some training ourselves!

I love our little Jackson and am so thankful to have the priviledge of being his mother and hopefully inspiring him to serve the Lord. I love to hear him sing, see him smile, read, jump, run, play in the yard, point to airplaines in the sky, discover new things, learn new words, etc. He has been such a joy to our lives and he is my heart. I love you Jackson!

Thanksgiving Day 2 - My Wonderful Husband

I am so thankful for my husband, Andrew Scott Ellard. We met six years ago and have been married a little over five and a half years now. It is amazing looking back at "our story" and the way we met. I had finally gotten to the point with relationships that I was tired of "looking". I decided to focus all of my time on my relationship with the Lord, and had announced this to a close friend one Wednesday night in September 2005. The very next Sunday I visited Temple Baptist Church with another friend and we went to the dreaded Singles Sunday School class. As we were sitting chatting, a very handsome gentleman walked in the room, came to our table and asked if the chair next to me was taken. I told him it was not and he draped his coat over it, went to get a breakfast snack, and came back. I instantly had a funny feeling about him, and literally looked up at God and said, "You've got to be kidding me!". Anyway, I'll try to skip all the details, but we went to lunch with the class later and he got my phone number; we started dating shortly after that, broke up two weeks later, for half a day, then he proposed to me six short weeks after we met.

We married February 25, 2006, three months later, and now have a two-year-old, James Andrew "Jackson" Ellard, and are expecting our second baby, Katelyn Elizabeth, December 16, 2011.

We have had so many good times together, and of course have worked through some pretty challenging ones as well. Andrew balances me out perfectly because he is much more patient and easy-going than I! I can be too high strung at times and he reminds me that I need to lighten up and laugh a little! He can be very romantic at times, is very handy around the house, and shares a lot of the same dreams I do. He is also a wonderful man of God and father to our son, Jackson.

I am so thankful that God has given me such a wonderful husband to spend the rest of my life with, to make memories and a family, and on a daily basis to share my thoughts, feelings, struggles, joys, dreams, time, hugs, kisses, and snuggles together. Thank you Lord for bringing Andrew into my life six years ago!

30 Days of Thanksgiving!

Ok, so one of my close friends, Kimberly, issued a 30 day challenge to post one thing I am thankful for each day for the next 30 days, and I am going to take her up on that challenge! I think it is always good to be thankful for the things the Lord provides for us and I need to do a better job of this. So, I am going to try to stick to this for the next 30 days.

Day 1 - Thankful for Jesus - Salvation

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Romans 10:9-11

I am so thankful that the Lord loves me so much to have sent his only Son to be the propitiation for my sins. He died the death I should have died and paid a debt I could not pay, and for that I am forever thankful. I am thankful that I have been adopted into the family of God!

Name Change and other news....

So, after much debate over our baby girls name, Andrew finally let me "win" and go with Kaitlyn rather than Katherine for the first name. Now, either 1. baby brain has totally taken over, 2. I totally forgot to mention how I wanted to spell Kaitlyn, or 3. Andrew just wasn't paying attention when I did tell him how I wanted to spell it!! Anywho, I updated my picture album on Facebook several weeks ago revealing our baby girls name as "Kaitlyn Elizabeth Ellard". Then I posted the pictures of the artwork I painted for her room a few weeks ago, and it wasn't until last week when we had friends over for dinner that Andrew "realized" that I wanted to spell her name Kaitlyn......how did he not notice for so long??

So, after being very puzzled over this, we hashed it out and I decided to compromise and spell it Katelyn, rather than the other way. He all but begged me to spell it that way. I figure it's a win-win for both of us! Now after much more discussion, I am proud to announce that we will be spelling her name Katelyn Elizabeth Ellard! There...it's final!

In other news....here are a few recent pics of the pregnancy progress and Katelyn's first trip to a USM football game! As always, I am behind...these pics are when I was 28 and 29 weeks along. The pictures from Mitchelle Farms last week are from when I was 30 weeks, and I am now 32 weeks. Time just keeps flying by!

28 Weeks

29 Weeks before USM game 10-1-11

Before the USM game 10-1-11

At the game...Katelyn's first USM game!

Kaitlyn's Artwork post #2

Ok, so the second attempt got both prints on here. I just finished painting these this past Sunday for Kaitlyn's room. I will post more pics of her room as I finish things up. Her bedding is pink and cream toile fabric and I excited to see how everything will turn out! Everytime Jackson goes in the room he says, "Sister's room...", so cute!

Both prints I painted for Kaitlyn's room....

Artwork for Kaitlyn's Room

I am going to try and post a few more Mitchell Farm pics also....

One of the rare smiles of the day!

One of the paintings I did for Kaitlyn's room. The other says "Unto the Lord" at the top and has bunnies in the topiary.

This is getting very frustrating....it may just be the server here at work, but it "rejected" half of the pictures I was trying to load. Agh! I will try to load the other artwork prints some other time.