it's a... {gender reveal party}

Ok, back to making up all the posts I've missed documenting our little guy's life so far! Here are some pictures from our gender reveal party. This was so fun! We went to the Dr that morning and he confirmed what I had already had a sneaking suspicion of since the minute I had the first positive test - that IT'S A BOY! We were both so excited!

That night we had a party for our families at my parent's house so we could tell everyone at once! My mom did a fantastic decorating job, and no one knew yet but us!

The answer was "423" - His due date, of course!

According to wives tales, he was a girl!

IT'S A BOY!!!

a very merry christmas

Hope you had a very {Merry Christmas}

We can't wait until next year to enjoy such a special day with our precious baby boy!

-Lace

22 weeks {and growing!}

-Lace

how we told his parents.

we wanted to tell his family immediately when we got back from florida. we couldn't even wait an hour! we got straight in the car after driving 12 hours to head to his parent's house. obviously we couldn't take anything super conspicuous with us or they would've known something was up, so we had to do something small! we also couldn't really take our big camera, so the quality of photos is just iphone unfortunately. i found this little pretty on etsy and knew we had to have it!

-Lace

how we told my parents.

my family goes to florida every year. like every year since i was 2. no joke. jacob and i got engaged there, we got married there, and we go back every year. so i thought it would be fitting to tell my parents they were going to be grandparents while we were there on vacation. only problem, i had to wait until i was 9 WEEKS to tell anyone! so incredibly hard.

anyway, we walk the beach the first night we get there every year. so we went down to the beach and were hanging out by the ocean. i started rambling on about how "it just feels like home here... and i love that we got engaged and married here... and so...... this feels like the best place to give y'all this!"
here's what followed:

-Lace

maternity must-haves (so far) {week 21}

I am by no means a pregnancy expert, but here are my absolute must-haves for the first half of pregnancy! And I could actually live without all of them but #7.

1.  aiden and anais mum and bub lotion

This lotion is amazing! Not greasy, lightweight, and one of the only perfume scents that doesn't make me sick! 

2.  old navy maternity jeans

My go-to jeans. Comfy and hard to tell they're maternity if you can't see the top! Perfect with boots for fall.

3.  jeggings and leggings (dont judge)

they don't squeeze your belly, and i feel like i'm wearing pj's all the time! 

4.  big sweaters

an obvious must - especially when you're in that "i just look like i am hiding the evidence of too many donuts and not a baby" phase

5.  heating pad

purchased this only last week and wish i would've had it much sooner. my back gets pretty tired after a 12 hour shift at work, and this definitely does the trick!

6. a bathroom within 50 feet

Because honestly, between vomiting and peeing every 5 minutes, it really comes in handy

7.  a good husband

this one is absolutely key. he's my best friend, my love, my sanity. he already has all the amazing qualities a daddy should have. he holds my hair back when i vomit, encourages me when i'm down, and tells me what a great mom i'm going to be when i'm scared to death i won't know what i'm doing. i'm not sure where me or baby e would be without him. 

what i'm craving

starburst candy 

cuties oranges

pineapple

italian food

sandwiches

gatorade

-Lace

how i told daddy.

I really should've kept up with this better, but I figured since our sweet baby boy is on the way I would probably want to be able to look back at our journey to parenthood! So, I guess I'm really blogging about the pregnancy more for me than anyone else who may happen to read. I love having words and pictures together so I can fully remember the moment!

This was the day I found out! I just "knew" I was pregnant. Had this feeling for a couple days. I took a test Sunday night and it was negative. I woke up at 5:00 am Monday morning to get ready for work and took another, and this is what happened ;)

Once I got over the initial shock and stopped saying "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh" I think I squealed for a second. Then I had to remind myself I was actually in the middle of getting ready for work and I should probably continue that. So I went to work for 12 hours and I was DYING to tell someone, mainly Jacob. Problem is, he wasn't going to be home for several more days because he was working in South Texas. Fortunately, God works in mysterious ways and he was able to come home that next morning at 3:00 am. I had to work that day too. So, another 12 hour shift later I literally felt like I was going to explode. I was shaking, and basically a nervous wreck because I wanted him to know so bad. Here is what happened next:

As we are getting ready for dinner:

Me: "Jake, could you open this box for me. I need something in there and it's stuck."

Jake: "uh, ok."

Shocked.... 

And so happy!

I made this onesie after work the night I found out, before jacob came home. He always said if we had a little boy he would be "such a little hoot" and that his nickname would most definitely be Hoot. So That was my inspiration ;)

It's hard for me to even keep a birthday gift a secret from him, so this was nearly IMPOSSIBLE. But I'm so glad it happened the way it did! His face was so priceless! We are obviously over the moon and can't wait to meet our little guy!

-Lace

weekend + recipes

We had a super fun weekend! I was happy to be off work and Jacob was home - those two things don't happen together often enough! Friday night we went to see Brave - so cute. Saturday we hung out by the pool and made cherry margaritas (recipe via jillianharris.com). They are the perfect poolside or beachside drink! Saturday night we celebrated my Papa's 76th birthday! If you know me at all, you know that he is one of my favorite people ever. I am honestly the luckiest girl in the world to be able to call him my papa. He's just one of those men that would do anything for anyone, anytime. He loves my Nana and our family so well. He is such an example of what a true husband, father and friend should be.

Nana bought papa some sunglasses for his birthday. Here's how it went down.
Nana: "Dad, put them on so we can see how they look."
Papa: "Well I'm sure I make them look reaaaaally good." 

I made some Texas Slaw (recipe here) and it is soooo good. Seriously, it's a crowd pleaser. I guarantee you even your coleslaw-hating friends will be begging for seconds. It's a fantastic cook-out side dish!
I also made peach cupcakes (recipe here). They are phenomenal. My hubby, who isn't a big sweets fan, approves and said he would like to have them again! And I actually have to say that he helped me and ended up doing most of the work on these!

Today we tried out a new church. It's actually our 9th church to try since moving back. To say it has been a struggle to find somewhere that we feel we belong would be an understatement. But this morning we went to a church we both could actually see ourselves at. This afternoon we went to the lake and went fishin. Then tonight we came home and Jacob grilled some hamburger wraps (recipe here - not sure what I'd do without pinterest!).

No fishing/lake trip is complete without pigskins and peanuts-n-diet DP (my nana taught me that trick)!

Hope you had a happy weekend! 

A dad who chose to be.

My dad wasn't there when I was born. In fact, I didn't meet him until 2 years later when he married my mom. But that doesn't mean he's not my dad. He's more of a dad than some biological fathers are. And he's so special to me- because he chose to be my father.
I am forever grateful that in October of 1995 he adopted me and chose to have me as his little girl. He always acted like I was his anyway, but that just made it official.
I used to get really upset that other people had their biological father and I didn't. But now I am so thankful because I know my dad was there for me because he wanted to be. Because he chose me.
Happy fathers day to a dad who truly changed the way I see the world and who gave my mom and I a life I am so grateful for.
I love you dad!
-Lace

Count your many blessings...

... see what God has done!

Sometimes I can't believe the way life works out. Sometimes I wonder "why do I get to be so lucky?" I see people suffering every day at work. People with health problems, financial problems, relationship problems. And I just feel so blessed. God has provided above and beyond what we could imagine. I don't understand why some people have so much suffering and others don't. But I feel like he just continues to bless us. Even in the midst of all our sin. I have always clung to Romans 8:28 and believe whole heartedly that all things work together for those who love the Lord. I don't think that means that everything that happens to a believer will always be good, but that it will work for good. It will ultimately accomplish a good purpose.

I look back at our lives and just see God's hand at work. From the time I started ETBU and God drew me away from A&M as I reluctantly kicked and screamed the whole way.. to being at ETBU and getting an incredible experience of interning with a missions organization, and eventually meeting my husband. None of which would have happened if I were at A&M. I think about how there's no way in you-know-where that I should have gotten accepted to PA school because I didn't have a lick of experience, barely had my prerequisites. And I did. I think about how I didn't know if I could pass, but I did with flying colors. I think about how I felt like I couldn't make it without my husband by my side but we made it while he was in Arkansas- and we are stronger for it. I think about how God ordained that move for us- how our house sold in record time, which was only by His grace. I think about recently how we weren't happy or fulfilled where we were and I prayed that something would change. Jacob came home a few days later and said he would probably be getting a transfer. He did, and we ended up getting to move back home to our families and away from the city. I think of how our house sold- in 1 week! We had 3 offers! I think of how we actually had to pay to sell our house because we hadn't been in it long enough, and then we got a check in the mail a week later from our escrow account for almost the exact same amount we paid at closing.  Now tell me that's not God at work! We came back home and miraculously there was a perfect rent house just near my parents so I wouldn't be alone when Jake was gone. We sold our house, both started new jobs, found a rent house, and found some land to buy within like 2 weeks! Unbelievable. I think of how I love my job, and I wasn't sure I would ever find that.

That's the short version- God has had his hand in our lives and sometimes I just can't believe how richly we have been blessed. I'm just thankful.

I'm also thankful that my jake showed up at home last night when he wasn't supposed to be there for another week! I was so surprised! And I am so thankful for him too :)

I feel so blessed and I know this is a post of ramblings, but sometimes I just need to remind myself how much I have to be truly thankful for. Because I know there will be a day when we will suffer and things will not seem so fantastic. And that's when I will need this reminder that God is here, everyday. He does not leave us, and He works all things together for good.

Lace

sayonara stanley ave.

We moved out of our perfect little home about 2 weeks ago and I'm just now getting around to posting pictures of it. We absolutely loved this house. It was so cozy and cute. It was the first place we have lived that actually felt like home. I miss it, but we are excited about this next chapter in our lives!

WARNING: Lots of photos ahead! :)

-Lace