40 days without french fries...

I did it!

Exactly 40 days ago I started my journey of 40 days without french fries and am proud to say "I actually did it!!!".

So, it's been a mostly private journey...few knew about the no fries plan. Just a few more knew I joined weight watchers the same night I gave up fries. 40 days into weight watchers and I'm happy to say I've lost 15 pounds (and am hoping to not gain any over the next couple days-boo thanksgiving feast-boo!!!).

I still have a significant way to go but am shocked that 5 weeks can make such a difference.

To explain why I went 40 days without my beloved fries: I knew I needed to make some major changes and french fires, specifically McDonald's french fries are soooo addictive.

I decided if Jesus could go through the desert without food for 40 days, I certainly could manage the "pain" of no french fries for the same time period.

It was hard-I had ample opportunity to cheat, sneak, and binge but I said no to those deceptive little fries and I'm so glad I did it.

Would you be willing to give up anything for 40 days to significantly impact your health and honor God?

PS Thanks to my friend Kara, hubby and sis Heath for their support during these challenging 40 days...til' death do us part;-)

Owen's turn...

I keep forgetting to post this since I've known about it for less than a week, but Owen is having surgery tomorrow morning at 9:45am. He is having his tonsils and adenoids removed and his ear tubes taken out (because they aren't in place properly now). Please pray for the little guy as this will be his 4th surgery in less than 3 years! Plus, it's just hard on kiddos to be in pain and not understand. I'll post updates as I have them;-)

Happy Birthday TJ...the BIG 1-0!!!!

Wow! I can't believe it has been TEN amazing years with you blessing our lives..

Our precious 1st born son. We have seen sooo many amazing and blessed firsts with you TJ! We are so proud of you, our awesome 4th grade boy!

My how you've grown-when you FINALLY arrived into this world (some very painstaking 5 days overdue and via induced labor) you weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces. I carried you WEEKS longer than any of your siblings and you were by far the biggest baby-you were so big I almost needed a c-section to deliver you, but my amazingly skilled Doctor (Dr. Kevin Miller who is dearly missed in the Lafayette area since his move) was able to get you out with a vacuum assisted delivery and you had quite the crooked head;-) Thankfully, it's rounded out nowadays;-) Now you are almost as tall as mommy and your feet are almost as big as mine too! I wonder if you will be taller than your dad someday soon?

You were a very content and sweet baby. Everyone always commented about how cute you were...like alot. You were sooo smart early on. You saw the world in the most amazing light. At the ripe age of two you picked up every speck of "tash" in sight and you could read tons of words (thanks to your daddy's hard work teaching you how to read).

You've come a long way since those early years...just the other day you reported to your father and I that you have decided what you want to be when you grow up- a police officer. That's a long way from your previous reported future aspirations of working as the "boss in construction".




You have claimed Jesus as your Lord and Savior since you were just 4 years old and you led your brother Jake to the Lord just last year. You have infectious laughter and a big tooth"less" smile. You love many sports and creative projects and destroying and rebuilding things. You love catching bugs and frogs and getting dirty and you really love FISHING...oh how that's an understatement. I think you'd move to Wisconsin with your Grandpa Andy and Uncle Andrew if we'd let you because of your shared love of outdoor fun.

I could go on all day bragging about you and how special you are to us...

We hope you have a very special 10th birthday and always remember how much we love you-even more with each passing day but unimaginably not as much as you Father God loves you!

Three years old!

You need a haircut.

You are exclaiming at this very moment "MOM! I need a tup-take!"

I ignore you in order to type this special blog post. You change your tone to a sweet needy voice, love on "Diffin" and say you want to "tuddle with me".

You are needy beyond measure...

...AND I simply would not want it ANY other way!

3 years ago today, when I woke up in a hospital bed, only 32 weeks and 3 days pregnant with you, I wasn't sure this day would ever come-at least not this side of Heaven.

Boy am I glad doctors can be wrong and that the Good Lord had other plans for you.

At 2 pounds 13 ounces, 14 1/2 inches long, you came into this world "healthy" and never even needed breathing support. You simply needed to remain in the special care nursery until you could eat well on your own and maintain your own temperature.




After 26 days in the NICU, you came home to us at 3 pounds 9 ounces. You've been growing steadily (though slowly) since then.

Now at 3, you can do EVERYTHING your peers can do and then some. You dance and sing like no other 3 year old I've seen (especially not in our not-so musically talented family;-). You run, jump, and play like a wild man! You love the neighbor kids and everyone loves you.

You weigh in at 23 pounds and are 34 inches long. So, you may be the weight of an average 13 month old and the height of an average 18 month old but you sure have a big personality to make up for your smaller size. You wear size 4 shoes (very tiny feet mister!) and 2T clothes swim on you but you don't know it and probably wouldn't care if you did. You have figured out ways to get to what you want and can climb like a champ. Step-stools are your friend and you know no other way. Medically, we are not pursuing any other treatment nor answers regarding your size-you are perfect the way you are!

You love your brothers and they all love you. You bug them sometimes, but in the end, you have a sweet brotherly love with each of your siblings.

You have both super sweet and stinkin' scary sides to you. You must get that from Daddy;-). We were walking through a store today and you were singing your ABC's at the top of your lungs...amazing.

Now, you aren't quite potty trained but you could be if you weren't so stinkin' stubborn! We have a new tactic that we are working on to get you in big boy undies once and for all. You sleep in your big boy bed and can dress yourself from head to toe. You are just finally able to pedal your tricycle that you got for Christmas but you didn't care when you couldn't reach the pedals-you just pushed along on the ground at the speed of light.

You are so excited about your birthday party later today...Chuck-E-Cheese's here we come! Woot-woot!

I feel so blessed that God chose me and your Daddy and brothers to be your family! I pray that we get to see you grow up and that someday there is a special girl that God is "growing up" for you even now to be your wife...oh the patience she'll need;-).

We love you Owen and are so happy to spend this special day-your 3rd birthday with you! Happy Birthday special boy!