Wittle People Wednesday

I'm linking up with my friend Ashley for Wittle People Wednesday. We had a playdate with her & her daughter Felicity last week and Ashley borrowed Paisley's onesie & tutu for a quick Christmas photo shot. I thought it would be cute to show you that same picture here!

From NC Thanksgiving

P loved playing with the tulle
From NC Thanksgiving

If you want to see other wittle people go check out Ashley's blog here

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Happy Thanksgiving

We are thankful for so many of God's blessings this year- especially this little turkey!

From Paisley_Month 5
From Paisley_Month 5
From Paisley_Month 5
From Paisley_Month 5

I hope everyone has a wonderful time spent with family this Thanksgiving!
Candice

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I surrender all

There aren't any cute pictures with this blog. This is just me writing so that I'll remember what happened this morning. And this is me asking and begging you to pray for me and the decisions that lie ahead.

I've been dreading this day for awhile. We did a dry run of the daycare this morning. I knew it was important to do this because Todd will be dropping off in the morning & he needs to get use to the routine. He also hasn't visited our daycare so he needed to see it. So this morning Paisley woke up at 6am. I fed her, we played for a bit and then the 3 of us prayed like we always do each morning. Then we headed to The Learning Experience Daycare in Apex. It's literally a mile from our house so its super convenient for us & on the way to Todd's work. We checked her in & talked to the manager. We went into her room and met the teachers. They gave us the run down on how everything would go each day, what she would need, etc. It was a bright room. Lots of cribs lined the walls and parents were starting to come in. Babies seemed happy, parents seemed happy but all I could do was cringe. Todd looked a little leery, asking lots of questions. We filled out some paper work, set up a pin for the automatic computer check in and I started to cry. Just the thought of leaving my precious baby in this "institution" where she needs a pin number made me ill. I knew it would. I've been battling the thought of daycare for months. Just not thinking about it since I had so much time at home. Well, the time has come & I have MAJOR anxiety. It's all I think about it. It's all I pray about it. It's all Todd & I talk about. It has CONSUMED us. What is the best thing for Paisley? What is the best thing for our family? Where does God want us? And will we (mostly me) be obedient?

Honestly- I didn't think it would be hard to leave my baby in the care of someone else. Well, that's what I thought before I had her. Million of parents work & millions of babies go to daycare. It's just how the world works. I grew up with a working mom & I can see her reaping the benefits from that now as she is about to retire after 31.5 years at AT&T. I know that it's good for moms to get out of the house and have a life of their own. I know that financially it helps & affords families to take vacations, be involved in extra curricular activities and puts less burden on the husband to provide. There are so many benefits to working moms and I always knew that I would continue to work when I had kids. I told Todd that before we even got married (even though he has always wanted me to stay at home).

But something is changing in me. This child has COMPLETELY changed my heart. I love her SO much. How on earth can I let someone else care for her 8 hours a day? I'm too OCD, too controlling to let some stranger watch my child. If it was family then maybe it would be a different story but we have NO family here in NC. No support except friends who can only do so much.

After the run through, Todd went to work and Paisley went down for a nap. I sat on the couch and just wept to God. I begged Him to show me what is best for Paisley. I prayed that He would give me the courage to do WHATEVER He leads me to do. I then started to worry. What if I give up my good paying government job & I can never get it back? What if I quit and then Todd loses his job? I know that staying at home will probably be best for now but what about long term? I let fear consume me. Then I remembered the sermon from this weekend about taking a RISK when we follow God. About how we don't need to live in fear and how faith is about trusting God. And that sometimes life with God doesn't make sense but that it is an adventure. The series is great & I encourage you to listen here

A friend told me about a daily devotional recently & I got the app on my phone. It's called "Jesus Calling" and I highly recommend it. It's written in a way that sounds like God is talking to you. So I opened it up and here was the devotion for today- November 19, 2012.

"Leave outcomes up to Me. Follow me wherever I lead, without worrying about how it will all turn out. Think of your life as an adventure, with Me as your guide and companion. Live in the now, concentrating on staying in step with Me. When our path leads to a cliff, be willing to climb it with My help. When we come to a resting place, take time to be refreshed in My presence. Enjoy the rhythm of life lived close to Me. You already know the ultimate destination of your journey: your entrance into heaven. So keep your focus on the path just before you, leaving outcomes up to Me."

And if that wasn't enough, there are verses that go with the devotion and today's verses were.......

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling". Exodus 15:13

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14

Anybody who knows us, knows that Psalm 27:13-14 is Todd's FAVORITE verse. It was the theme to our wedding almost 3 years ago. God showed this verse to Todd 7 years ago when he was divorced & just had survived a serious car accident that should have killed him. Todd's jaw was wired shut, sinuses blown out and a piece of his hip was removed and put into his mouth because he had broken the bones that held his teeth together. Todd was in a pit and God showed him Psalm 27:13-14. Todd had no hope of goodness. All he had was pain & disappointment but God kept telling him to wait and believe. Wait and believe. And sure enough Todd saw God's promise come alive on February 20, 2012. Then Todd saw it again on July 17, 2012. Todd has always called me his "goodness in the land of the living" and now he calls Paisley the same thing!

How cool that God would use this devotion and this verse to speak LOUDLY to me!

Then I got on my knees and broke down. Cried like a baby. And these words came out of my mouth "I surrender". I don't know if I have really ever said that before or even meant it but I do now. Whatever God wants from me, I'll do it. I'll give my job. I've give up my current lifestyle, shopping habits and expensive taste. I've give up everything I have for this perfect, little baby who is our goodness in the land of the living. I'm done. My life is not my own. God wins. She wins.

So what does this mean for us? I don't know. I so badly wish God would just show us the future and literally tell us where to be but it doesn't work that way. All we can do now is PRAY and LISTEN and BELIEVE.

Will you pray for us? Will you pray for me? I know how this works. I'll make a decision now that I believe is best but fear will creep back again and I'll go back on the promise to surrender everything. Will you pray that God will make his path clear? Do I need to give up my job and be a stay at home mom? Should we stay in Raleigh? Or would it be better for us to live near family? Pleas pray that God will show us exactly where He wants us. I pray that He orchestrates things in such a way that it's VERY CLEAR where He wants us. I tend to be stupid & blind when it comes to major decisions. I also tend to panic. Please pray that Todd & I make decisions so that we will have "peace that surpasses all understanding" (Phil 4:7) I know that the decisions that are coming in the next few weeks & months will impact the life of my daughter. Please pray that we have wisdom where we lack it and that the decisions we make will be in the best interest of our daughter.

I love the old hymn "I Surrender All". I listened to it this morning with hands raised high to the sky and meant every word. Listen by clicking here

Thank you for listening. And more importantly, thank you for your prayers & your friendship.

Love,
Candice

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4 months

Paisley is 4 months old today! We celebrated by going to the doctor & getting shots! That was fun. (not)

The perfect baby weighs 14 lbs & 10 oz. When I saw the scale, I almost had a heart attack. Doesn't that look like she weighs 1410 lbs???!!! Holy cow.

From Paisley_Month 4

Everything checked out good & she is starting to slow down on her growth rate. 78% instead of 83%.
From Paisley_Month 4

She wasn't a big fan of her oral vaccine.
From Paisley_Month 4

And she sure wasn't happy when they poked her in her legs twice. Poor baby!
From Paisley_Month 4

Like the good momma that I am- I planned ahead & took our 4 month old pictures yesterday!!!
From Paisley_Month 4
From Paisley_Month 4
From Paisley_Month 4

And a little comparison of her growth over the last 4 months.
From Collages

Hope everyone has a good weekend!
Candice

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Wittle People Wednesday

I'm trying something new. My friend Ashley does 'Wittle People Wednesday' on her blog where you share a picture of a wittle person. Hello! This is perfect for me. But I've tried to grab this "button" in the past but have had problems. So here goes.....

Here's my new favorite picture of Paisley. This is what I envision her saying to me
"You know mom, I was thinking.... You're the BEST mommy ever!"

From Paisley_Month 4


Ok- now for the button so you can see other pictures.


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Weeks 13-16

Paisley is 4 months old & I'm LOVING this age. If she could stay this little forever, I wouldn't mind. She's doing so many new things that I've been writing them down lately so I won't forget. Here's the list of our "news"...

  • Laughing! Just started this last week
  • Gurgling
  • No more swaddling. Put her down for a nap the day she turned 16 wks without the swaddle & we haven't looked back. She use to LOVE being swaddled but now she really loves having her hands free while she sleeps. Makes getting to her fingers much easier
  • Obsessed with putting fingers in her mouth. I mean OBSESSED. There aren't many pictures of her these days without the fingers in the mouth.
  • From Collages
  • Not really taking the paci anymore. Only when she's really tired.
  • Not liking a bottle either- that's super convenient since I'll be going back to work in 2 weeks!!!
  • Also not a fan of being put in vegetables. Note to self: Make the leg holes of the pumpkin bigger next time! (I blame Todd for this) The left is a picture from Pinterest- that's how it was suppose to look. The right is our picture!
  • From Collages
  • Tummy time is less dramatic but she still doesn't like it
  • From Paisley_Month 4
    From Paisley_Month 4
  • Grabbing at things (especially with her left hand). Not really grabbing with the right. I wonder if this means she'll be left handed?
  • Starting to put things in her mouth & chew on them- like her favorite rattle
  • From Paisley_Month 4
  • Her talking is getting VERY LOUD. Wonder where she gets that from? Can you say Momma T!
  • Fascinated with lights & ceiling fans
  • Will give you kisses with her mouth wide open (I love this!)
  • From Paisley_Month 4
  • She WOBBLES! Loves to stand up but doesn't have solid control of her body yet. We call it "the wobble" since we heard/saw this new line dance at a wedding a few weeks ago. Pretty sure they got that idea from a 4 month old baby
From Paisley_Month 4

We go for her 4 month old doctor appointment on Friday. She'll have another round of shots. She wasn't a big fan of that last time. I know this sounds mean- but I really want to bring my camera along to capture the moment. Todd is going with us so I just might do it. hehe

Happy Veterans Day!
Love,
Candice

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focus

Remind me to teach my husband how to focus my camera.

From Paisley_Month 4

That's it. Hope you have a good weekend!
Candice

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Bobbie & Brad Engagement

Today is my best friend's 33rd birthday. Happy Birthday Bobbie!

Bobbs was in NC a few weeks ago to visit. We got to meet her FIANCE Brad for the 1st time and they got to meet Paisley. While they were here, we did engagement photos. Take a look.

From Bobbie & Brad Engagement
From Collages
From Bobbie & Brad Engagement
From Bobbie & Brad Engagement
From Bobbie & Brad Engagement

Her ring is gorgeous
From Collages

While she was here we hit up David's Bridal & found her wedding dress! This was her reaction when we found "THE" dress.
From Bobbie & Brad Engagement

Bobbie got to spend some time with P. They babysat her while Todd & I were at a wedding that weekend and Bobbs was so good with Paisley.
From Bobbie & Brad Engagement

It's true that the best things in life are worth waiting for. I couldn't be happier for my best friend. She has waited SO long for this & I pray that God blesses her life with Brad. Congrats Aunt Bobbie and Happy Birthday! We love you and look forward to seeing you walk down that aisle in March!

Love,
Candice

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Announcement

I have an announcement to make!!! I'm going to be an aunt for the 1st time on my side of the family! My brother Jonathan & his wife Rachel are expecting a baby GIRL in late March. They were here a few weeks ago & I took announcement pictures.

From J & R Announcement
From J & R Announcement

From Collages
From J & R Announcement
From J & R Announcement
From J & R Announcement

I couldn't be happier that our family is expanding! The Craigs went from 0 grandbabies to 5 grandbabies in 4 years. I think the Levins will be that way. My sister needs to jump on the baby wagon soon. haha

Congrats guys! We can't wait to meet Miss Olivia Levins in 2013!


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