Memorial Day Weekend Recap

I got to go home for Memorial Day weekend. We didn't do anything on the lake or go camping. But I did get to spend lots of time with family! Jaime works 10 days on, 4 days off, so he couldn't come home this time. We all missed him!

I brought Maggie with me and left Charlie at home with Jaime because he doesn't like coming home to an empty house. Maggie got to ride around with my dad in the truck and she loved it.

Alex got a toy to check the cows on the farm with. He was kind of happy about it. ha!

My grandparents from Colorado came in from my baby brother's graduation. We got ice cream Friday night and it was yummy! My favorite flavor is back at Brusters: Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip!

Saturday morning, I went to my other Grandmother's house to work on t-shirt quilts. I have enough t-shirts to make like 3 blankets! We already have 5 or 6 at my house. It's our favorite kind of blankets in our family, if you can't tell.

Next I went to our good friend's babies 1st birthday party. It was a cute "Guess How Much I Love You" book theme. I loved it! We're known as his Aunt and Uncle, which means a lot!

Next, I went to Jaime's cousins wedding but I didn't get any pictures. It lightly rained the whole ceremony which was outside and as soon as we went in the barn...it stopped and the sun came out! ha! But of course, the bride and groom were happy and didn't care! So happy for them!

I didn't stay long at the reception because I had to book it to my baby brother's graduation. 

Yes, my Saturday was booked!

Oldest & Youngest

Some of our cousins came to see Alex graduate. I love them.

Our church held a little graduation party after church Sunday night for Alex. Cake and ice-cream!

This little one is a hoot! She was playing with Amber's hair, pulled the bobby pin out and put in her mouth like she was a grown up. ha! You can't say kids don't pay attention to what their parents do.

After church, my cousins, brothers, and I had a little bonfire to make S'mores! It was good to hang out with everyone like we used to. 

He's affectionate! 

This picture probably makes some DIY'ers really sad. We had a old pallet we needed to burn and it was too late to use a chainsaw so we just through it over the fire pit.

We had a little family Memorial Day 5K! It's so much more fun to run with family rather than alone. Good motivation!

However, since that run, I had lots of cramping during my runs and through out the day. I called my fertility doctor and let him know what was going on. He told me to hold off all running, jumping, twisting, or crunching exercisers. He said if I did have cysts on my ovaries, the weight of them could  cause the ovaries to twist, cutting off blood flow, and I could possibly lose my ovary or both!

So, no more running for me for awhile. I can fast walk, do the elliptical, or swim for cardio. 

Speaking of infertility, my cousin, who has been my biggest earthly comforter dealing with this issue announced her pregnancy to the rest of the world this weekend! They have been struggling with infertility for FOUR years! Here is her testimony:

"I actually debated on posting anything, I didn't want to drudge feelings of impossibility and deep hurt to anyone who is going through infertility, but I also want to hopefully be an encouragement to those who are experiencing similar circumstances.
Josh and I decided to start a family exactly 4 years ago and the Lord had other plans. As each month passed, my heart ached and the feelings of hopelessness were overwhelming. It seemed as though every where I turned, people were announcing their pregnancies. As time moved on, trips to doctors came and went with little promise of any changes to our circumstances. I began to realize our prayers were more selfishly motivated than they were resigned to God's will, especially if that meant never having a baby. 

Time and prayer changed our hearts, and God helped us reach a point of peace and acceptance that we may not be able to have children. This acceptance seemed impossible at the beginning, but as the Bible promises in James 1:2-4, God showed us through trials that what we actually needed was Him, and not necessarily a child. He revealed Himself to us in a way I pray everyone can see Him. He became so magnificent to us even without giving us what we first desired. I'm not saying it was us, He did that. He gently walked us through every stage of it and then opened our eyes to an amazing Father that deserves praise no matter what the circumstances. I will forever be thankful that He chose to strengthen my relationship with Him this way. He knows us so intimately.
Keep trusting in Him no matter what your situation is."

What a awesome testimony and encouragement for the rest of us! I've been praying for them for a long time and I specifically asked God to give her a baby before me--and He did! It renews my hope that it'll happen for me one day.

I put together a "Congrats, you're pregnant!" basket simply because she deserves it and I'm so so happy for her! My favorite gift is the little onesie the says "Worth the wait and wait and wait". I got it off Etsy and it was shipped super fast! I'm hoping her morning/all day sickness goes away soon-hence the crackers, pretzels, and ginger tea. 

Grow baby grow!

Cuddling, her favorite past time!

One last bonfire before I left for Michigan Tuesday morning.

I started my new nanny job yesterday and I am in heaven on earth! This sweet and easy 4 month old helps my longing for my own baby! Hope you all had a great long weekend spent with family. But also stopped to remember all the families who were missing a loved one because they died protecting our freedom.

Have a great Thursday, I hear the baby waking up! Time for snuggles!