Our journey to POOL!

In our (almost) 10 years of marriage we have saved all of our “extra” money for our 8 rounds of IUI and 2 rounds of IVF.  Not to mention the medical bills we ran into from premature twins and 3 living with cystic fibrosis!  FINALLY, after traveling the road to create our family we were able to treat ourselves with a purchase that was just for FUN!  Here is the journey to our backyard paradise!!

Day 1:

These little angels were super excited! (and up at the crack of dawn to watch the fun)

And this turkey absolutely LOVED watching all of the big trucks and men with tools!  The dirt pile was a big hit too.

  

Day 2: Forms

Day 3: Gunite

And then we sat…and sat…and sat…because the gunite had to cure and Houston actually got rain!

Then the tile and coping went in:

Beginning-

End of tile day 1…this guy hand cut every single stone…and he was not fast!

The decking went in and we made memories by placing our handprints in the wet concrete:

Literally, sitting and watching the water fill the pool…and enjoying popsicles!

After the pool was complete the kitchen went up:

Then the play area was finished:

And then the fun began!!!

 

Ellie and Cullen,

Your daddy and I absolutely love to watch you two enjoy yourselves in our new pool.  It is our hope that we create many fun family memories over the years in our backyard together.  Ellie, you swim just like a little mermaid with your dolphin kicks and your cannon ball jumps off the side of the pool.  Mr. Cullen, you have started swimming “under-neaF” the water and it is so awesome to watch.  You are both amazing and adventurous which makes parenting you THAT much more fun!

Love you always,

Mommy

Like a freight train…

This date rolls into our world like a freight train every single year.

June 15th 2012 will mark 5 years since we last held Bennett in our arms.

On the eve of Bennett’s Heaven Day the heartache is still as raw and heavy as it was on this day five years ago.

This is the last time I saw my son…my little boy that taught me what true strength is…my baby that grew and moved inside of me and made me a mother.  Tube and monitor free, wrapped in his prayer blanket with a picture of his twin sister watching over him.  This is what June 15th looks like to me.

The day to day of missing Bennett has become a part of our lives, but the once a year, day we held him in our arms after we took him off of life support, never gets any easier to face.

Bennett day 2009

As Ellie gets older she has started to ask some pretty serious questions about why God took Bennett back.  In fact, the other day she asked why Bennett’s daddy was God.  I never imagined we would be answering some of these questions so early.  Trying to explain to a 5 year old that God is the Father of us all is such a hard concept for them to grasp.  (basically, my explanation was WAY over her head!)

Bennett Day 2010

Although I miss Bennett every single day, I am still thankful for what this journey has given me.  I hate visiting a cemetery to put flowers on my child’s grave, but every single time I look at Ellie I am thankful to Bennett for protecting her.  I am thankful for the six months that we had to watch Bennett grow because now when I look at Cullen with his blond hair and light eyes I can see Bennett in him. 

I am thankful for the private time I had with Bennett shortly before we said good-bye.  I am reminded daily of our conversation because I told him that every time I heard birds singing I would think of him.  Wouldn’t you know we have a family of birds living in our chimney and every morning while I drink my coffee I can hear them loud and clear.

Bennett Day 2011

I am thankful that Brandon was my partner on this journey.  So many relationships fall apart after a catastrophic event like the death of a child.  I think we do a nice job of keeping communication open and maintaining a balance with our emotions (meaning I fall apart and he is strong!!)  I love that we know it’s okay to cry during Gray’s Anatomy because it seems like they are always dealing with premature babies or discontinuing life support!

I am thankful for the many pictures I have of our sweet Bennett around our home.  I love seeing my three sweet miracles in pictures.

This day will always come, but we always make it through and have each other when the sun goes down.  I miss my Bennett, but having Brandon, Ellie and Cullen makes my tomorrow bright.

Kiss your babies, kiss your husbands and don’t ever forget that this life is borrowed time, so make the most of it every single day.

 

We miss you sweet Bennett.  Thank you for watching over us until we get the chance to hold you again.

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Ephesians 1:16

FLIPS Olympic day

The kiddos are both involved in gymnastics near our house and we LOVE the gym they are at.  Ellie gets to be super independent and do class all on her own without mommy watching over her because I have the privilege of participating in Diaper Daredevils with Mr. Cullen at the same time in a different part of the gym.  At the end of the year the gym puts together a “show” of all the tricks the kiddos have learned.  It was probably the most organized event we have ever had the chance to participate in.  It truly made me love their gym even more than I already did!

 

Cullen and Ellie,

You are both so talented and Daddy and I are very proud of the progress you made this year in gymnastics!  Ellie, you are so brave on the high beam and Cullen we are so excited that you finally mastered the trampoline!  Keep up the hard work!!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

May 2012

Family Fun Day

Our cousins recently moved back from California and it has been so fun to have a few play dates with the kiddos.  Ellie and Isabella are 13 months apart and Cullen and Juliana are 2 days apart.  The older girls play so nicely together and our two younger ones are our wild ones for sure!  We had such a nice day swimming and eating lunch together.  We look forward to lots of play dates in the pool with friends!

BIG news…

Last Monday brought a BIG change to our little family.

This handsome, spunky, smart, loving, ornery, little man turned 2 years old.

My little baby is turning into a big boy and it is all happening so fast.

We had a super fun swim party for our little guy and his little friends at our house.  It was the first kids birthday party I’ve hosted in one of our homes and I think it may be the last!  SO much harder to host a party at your house vs. hosting at a venue!

Dear Cullen,

You were the missing piece to our family and with you we are totally complete.  I am thankful to God every single time I look at you for placing the conviction in our hearts to try IVF again and have faith in Him.  I honestly can’t imagine this life without you in it.  You are SO stubborn and ornery, but you are also so loving and FUNNY!  The last two years are been very exciting with you and I can only imagine what you have in store for us in the future.  We love you little bud bud!  Happy 2nd birthday!

Love always and forever,

Mommy, Daddy and Ellie Grace

A trip to the zoo

A few weeks ago Mimi surprised us with a  day at the Zoo.  We always do fun things with Mimi, but this was an extra special day.

We packed a picnic and headed out early that morning to enjoy our day with the animals. 

This was the first time Cullen had been to the zoo since last spring.  So it was a lot of fun to see his face light up when we saw the Meer cats first!  Both of our kiddos are HUGE animal lovers, so a trip to the zoo can actually turn into an entire day adventure.  They didn’t want to miss ONE single exhibit!

No trip to the zoo is complete without a carousel ride and trip on the train through Hermann Park. (and a fun surprise from Mimi at the gift shop!)

 

I love being able to make these memories with my babies, but I love even more that they are making these memories with their Mimi too!

Blessings,

Angie