Twelve Years Today!

Twelve years ago today I married my best friend. Our ceremony was a beautiful one, that lasted all of about 15 minutes! After the reception, we left in my forest green 1999 VW Jetta with shoe-polished windows, got around the corner from the church and I burst into tears! I said, "I miss my family!", and I'm sure Shelby thought, "Oh my, what have I gotten myself into?" I look back and laugh...family has always meant so much to me. That's one of the things that I loved right away about Shelby. Now, here we are 12 years later, with two little girls, loving our sweet little family of four.

When we first got married I was an admissions counselor at our local community college and Shelby was a lab technician at an analytical lab. We lived in an apartment complex...our neighbors were mainly senior adults. It was quite comical, really. We used to love swimming in the afternoons with a man named Strawberry, a woman named Marie, and every once in a while Billy Bob & Geraldine would come out to visit, as well. We've come a long way since then...Shelby earned his Master's degree in Biology and is now working for one of the top oilfield service companies in the US. I got my teaching certification, taught for 8 years, and now get to spend my days nurturing and raising Georgia Claire & Ivy Jane. I used to dream of the day when I could be a stay-at-home mom, and now I am "living the dream"! Although it's not glamorous, and there are days that I don't get a shower until after Shelby gets home, I wouldn't trade it for any other job. I'm thankful that Shelby loves his job and he takes his job of providing for us so seriously. I'm thankful for the past 12 years and the ups and downs that we have had. One constant that remains...God is always faithful! Thank you, Lord, for these past 12 years and the journey we have been on with you as our guide.

Blessings

Another busy couple of weeks = one bad blogger. I have to catch you up to speed on the craziness that is happening in the Braman household! I am amazed at how God is working in our move. Last Friday night the for sale sign went in our yard, we had a showing Saturday, and another on Monday. Monday night our realtor came over & told us, "Y'all, we got a FULL PRICE offer! Y'all must be in God's will because this is awesome!" The 2nd people that saw our house wanted it! Suzanne is our realtor and we LOVE her. I taught her son Collin in 6th grade a couple years ago (the year Georgia was born). She is a pastor's wife and has a wonderful heart. She told us the story of the couple that came to see the house...he was in the Navy, and she is 10.5 weeks pregnant. She's had two miscarriages and when they walked into Georgia's room and saw the sign that my friend Kathleen made that says, "For this child we prayed", they knew the house was theirs! =) Suzanne started crying telling us the story! I got chills & immediately knew that God was in this move. I've known all along really, but that was just affirmation that we were in His will. So, we got the offer Monday night and went to Louisiana Tuesday to do some serious house hunting. Another God thing...our realtor that we got matched up with was the TOP Coldwell Banker realtor in the state of Louisiana last year! She is AWESOME! We left Louisiana Tuesday afternoon after signing a contract on a new home! The new home is in a great neighborhood with lots of young families and the elementary school is rated a 10 out of 10...another God thing! SO, we have been filling out paperwork for our home loan and relocation, plus trying to stay present with the girls. We took time today to just be together...we had to move some firewood this morning, but we played a lot, too. We all took a great nap, ate a yummy meal at home, and played until the girls couldn't play any longer.

(((In the midst of everything, I've been reminded this weekend of how blessed we are and how life can change in an instant. The devastation in Missouri & the reports of parents still searching desperately for their children has made me stop and truly try to soak in every minute I have with my family. I cleaned out the girls' closets (yet again) on Friday and was able to get a tub of clothes to a friend who is taking a trailer of items to families in Joplin. Thinking of the moms with babies who have nothing but the clothes on their backs brought tears to my eyes as I looked at the hangers full & drawers full of baby clothes I have for my girls. On top of it all, Shelby got word today that one of the men he works with was killed in a brush hogging accident in Arkansas this morning. He was 52. Shelby knows one son (whom he also works with) and they have another son who is stationed in Afghanistan. I cannot imagine getting word that my Dad had died in an accident. Please remember the McGough family in these next few days, especially.)))

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my baby girls?! Georgia has been so much fun lately, and learning so much, and oozing with personality. She loves to sit and read, and she's totally into her babies. Yesterday she sat her baby in her booster seat and was saying, "Sit beebee, ok? Ok?" She sings to her babies, she puts them in bed, she pats them, she feeds them. I'm LOVING watching her grow and change into a very sweet and loving little girl. Granted, she has her moments & her meltdowns, but she's an absolute doll. She says "peas & thank you", usually now without being prompted. Look at this happy face...

Sweet Ivy Jane. She's pulling up & standing, crawling crazy fast, and babbling like crazy. She LOVES her older sister and is still a momma's girl. Shelby & I think she is going to be super sensitive. She's so sweet!

Georgia taking care of Ivy Jane...playing with bubbles in the wagon.
Georgia was swinging and wanted out. She then said, "I-dee sing!" She wanted me to put Ivy Jane in the swing & then wanted to push her...
Some of the blackberries I picked with Mom & Dad at the farm this morning...I made a fresh blackberry cobbler tonight & we almost ate the ENTIRE thing!
Our supper consisted of fresh vegetables from Mom & Dad's garden...fried squash & green beans (that I picked this morning), new potatoes in white sauce & onion (that we dug this morning), & cornbread...all that was missing was fresh tomatoes...and maybe some okra...and maybe some corn on the cob!
Counting my blessings today, more than ever. I'm so very thankful for the couple who is buying our home and the fact that they are going to love our house as much as we have, thankful for clothes for my family, thankful for a new home, thankful for 2 hour naps, and thankful for fresh fruits & vegetables, just to name a few. Thank you Lord for the bountiful blessings!

My fun girls

One of my favorite things to do lately is to get Georgia up from her nap with Ivy Jane. Georgia smiles and says, "Hi-ee I-ee!" and Ivy Jane squeals and laughs and almost jumps out of my arms! Yesterday, Georgia said, "I-ee sit!" and patted her bed beside her. After I put Ivy Jane in the bed, she gave her glo-worm to her and then said, "Book, Momma! I-ee book, too, Momma!" So, they sat and played in Georgia's bed for about 10 minutes! Love it!

We play a lot...Georgia had to take a break for some milk...

Ivy Jane is now crawling all over the place...from room to room and pulling up on all the furniture! Peek-a-boo!
And Georgia is still into her baby dolls, even a teddy bear. Girls are SO much fun!

Mother's Day 2011

Mothers sacrifice a lot for the ones they love. I learned this lesson firsthand from a young girl named Julia two years ago. She chose LIFE for Georgia and placed her with us. I am eternally grateful for her tremendous sacrifice & I pray for her daily...that God would richly bless her life for the incredible gift she gave us, Georgia Claire. We love you, Julia!

I had a great 2nd Mother's Day! As my sister-in-law Heather put it, 2 Mother's Days down and 2 babies in! Another reminder of how blessed I am! I got myself a gift...with Shelby's permission! It came in the mail on Monday and I L-O-V-E it!

Paula, my mother-in-law, works at a flower shop that does BEAUTIFUL arrangements. So, when Shelby walked in with these beautiful flowers I was so surprised and so excited!

Ivy Jane is my precious little baby doll. I love her so very much...such a great addition to this 2nd Mother's Day!
Georgia Claire watering flowers with her Aunt Heather & Mimi...she is my first little angel...I cannot believe she is almost 2 years old! I love this little girl SO SO SO MUCH!
Can't I just get ONE good picture of myself with my girls?
PLEASE?!
Just one?!
I guess not...
My mom, the living, breathing example of Proverbs 31...she is one of my best friends and I love her SO much! She is an awesome Grandma, too!

Another mother that I love dearly, my mother-in-law, Paula. She gave birth to and raised my husband. AND, her granddaughters LOVE their Mimi! I love this picture of Shelby & her...

Will CRAWL for food!

Ivy Jane's physical therapists came today...they hadn't seen her in 3 weeks. When they came in I told them how excited I was for her to show them all of her tricks. I said, "She's doing all kinds of things, but she's not crawling yet!" YET was obviously the key word because about 30 minutes later SHE WAS CRAWLING! We put toys out for her to go get & played with her on the floor, but she just sat & smiled at us. When we put puffs on the floor, she immediately started crawling! Sue, our PT, said that I needed to make her a shirt, "Will crawl for food!" She would crawl, grab a puff, and sit back and start clapping and waving her arms! She knew she had done something BIG!

Here's her progression...

Licking her lips...thinking about going...

And she's off!
I can ALMOST reach them!
YUMMMM!!!!
Did you see what I just did?!
Sue told me that she would be "graduating" from ECI soon! I asked her if they had ECI in Louisiana, and she said yes but Ivy Jane wouldn't qualify! Since she is now crawling, she is developmentally where she should be! WOW! Her trunk rotation, neck rotation and other movements are perfect. We're still working on the slight head tilt. Dr. Adams, her chiropractor, is still seeing her once a week. Today he was VERY happy with her progress and said, "We still had a slight head tilt, but that just makes for really cute pictures!" =) I'm so proud of our big girl...9 months old tomorrow!

Busy Busy!

This Momma has been soooo busy! I can't believe the last time I blogged was April 19th. The girls continue to get more and more fun as the days go by and I seem to get busier and busier! Ivy Jane is on the verge of crawling...she has actually made a couple of forward movements last night but I wouldn't call it crawling-just yet! She is becoming "Miss Personality" and really becomes alive after meal time! The child loves to eat! My favorite thing is to watch her laugh at Georgia. Every night after supper we put them in the bath together. I always sit on the edge of the tub with Ivy Jane in her diaper while the water is running. Georgia will run down the hallway when I say, "Go!" and run right up to Ivy Jane. Ivy Jane cackles and throws herself backwards in a back bend. It is HILARIOUS! =) They are becoming best friends and I LOVE IT!

Ivy Jane now has three teeth...I just love her sweet smile!

Last night we were enjoying playing together as a family in Georgia's room. Shelby & I were watching Ivy Jane, thinking she was about to crawl when Shelby looked at Georgia and said, "Oh my gosh!" Thank goodness I had the camera close (imagine that!)...I snapped this picture of Georgia...22 months going on 16! She had my cell phone and had her feet kicked up in the air just talking away!

This is the definition of a 22 month old multi-tasking...fireman's hat, coloring page, and pushing her baby in the stroller!

Little Easter bunny...
Another little Easter bunny...
Two little Easter bunnies having technical difficulties with their ears...

Easter morning dresses...

Girl cousins...Mary Katherine, Ivy Jane, Caroline Leigh, & Georgia Claire...
Georgia was definitely into the egg hunting this year...

So, in the midst of Easter celebrations and playing with and raising our two precious girls, we've been getting our house ready to SELL! Shelby was hand-picked by one of his company's big bosses to be the new District Technical Manager for the ArkLa district...working on projects dealing with the famous Haynesville Shale (largest natural gas field in North America)! The catch is, we have to move. It's not a huge move, but it is an hour away and in LOUISIANA! For the first time ever I will not be a citizen of the great state of Texas! I am BEYOND proud of Shelby and his accomplishments with his job in just the last 2 1/2 years. He is providing for our family and allowing me to stay home, something that I CHERISH! So, we are waiting for the "green light" from the relocation company and then we will officially start house hunting. The best news about the move...Shelby will NOT be traveling (an occasional night away, but no week-long trips)! I am VERY thankful, although I'm afraid I'm about to get A WHOLE LOT BUSIER! =)