LOVE

Never has this word meant so much to me or have I really and truly seen the true meaning of it. I don't believe there could ever be a greater love, than that a parent has for their child. As we celebrated the one day of the year dedicated to love, I just couldn't help but think about what it means to me now. Today, the word was everywhere! Why shouldn't it be? It's Valentine's Day...

It was this day, ten years ago that Austin told me he loved me for the first time. It was a very sweet and unexpected little gesture. He took me to White Rock Lake and found a sweet little spot right by the water. He held my hand and told me he loved me...and let me tell you, I was in LOVE! I still am, with that wonderful guy! That is also a love that I can't describe, but it is also a much different love than I have for AB. Although, every time I stare into AB's big, dark eyes, I am reminded of how much I LOVE her Daddy.

It wasn't really until this Valentine's Day, after church that I think I truly understood the Love that God has for me. The fact that he could send his one and only Son to die for me. Could I do the same thing? Could I sacrifce my child for the sake of others? What a wonderful God we serve that He could love me so much to do such a thing. It is because of Him that I can stare into the eyes of my own child and feel that love that I feel for no other.

What a fun first Valentine's we had with Annabelle. She brings so much joy and love to everyone and Austin and I have never been happier. I think having her, also shows us just how much love we have for eachother. What an amazing Daddy Austin is and he is always so loving to us both. We are lucky to have him. Yes, there is a whole lot of love going on today and I feel that I could just burst and spread it all around! Yes, love is many things and being with AB shows me just how true love really is, but I think it's put best in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8:

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered...

...it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails...

Happy First Valentine's AB! You will never know the LOVE that your Daddy and I have for you!

Snowy Day - Part II

After making us wait for hours, literally, our district decided to cancel school. As they should have because Dallas had a record breaking snowfall of 12.5 inches! Isn't that crazy? It snowed for almost 24 hours, and was one of the prettiest snowfalls I've ever seen! Austin stayed home with us today, too, and you know what that meant? More pictures in the snow!! Today I really wanted to get AB in the snow, without completely freezing her to death, of course. The snow was so deep, that we put a towel on the ground and we were able to make a little nook for her to sit in. I was so impressed with her, because instead of crying she gave lots of big smiles and wrinkled that little nose of hers in excitement. She didn't know what she was sitting in, but she knew that it was something different and I think she liked it! Oh, what fun we had taking pictures of her today!

I love this! She was tired of sitting up, so she just decided to lay down (no worries, there's a towel under her). She just laid there smiling at us.

After we got some good pictures, Austin and I wanted to build a snowman. So we put AB in her carrier and covered her all up and went to work!

This was our view from making our snowman! Look at her little feet sticking out!

And this was a little peak inside. She was wiped out!

Tah-dah!! Meet Kimberly! Our Snowwoman!

Snowy Day

Even though it was almost completely unimaginable, we had one of the most beautiful snowy days I have ever seen in my 27 years of life. Yeah, yeah I know I live in Texas and my snowy days have been pretty few and far between, but the pictures from today could've been taken in Colorado (minus the mountains). I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite children's books The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (whom is also one of my favorite children's authors).

I would've loved to have witnessed today through the eyes of a child just like Peter did in The Snowy Day. It is still easy to get in touch with my inner child on days like this. Speaking of children, the day started off with letting my kiddos let loose and have some fun playing in the snow! My little cousin who lives in California send me his Flat Stanley in the mail this week and we're supposed to take pictures with Flat Stanley of things in Texas and mail Stanley on back to California. What a perfect day to take pictures with Flat Stanley! Here are my kiddos with Stanley. I love the look on their faces. So excited!

Here we are outside on the playground! Can you get a load of that? Crazy! Everything is just covered in a blanket of snow!

All afternoon activites were cancelled in Wylie, so our principal let us leave as soon as the kiddos were all gone for the afternoon. I couldn't wait to get AB and take her outside and see how she reacted to all of it. She saw a little bit of snow Christmas Eve, but nothing like this! Austin called and said his work was getting out early and he was on his way home. As soon as Daddy got home, the picture taking fun began. We took AB out front to see the snow. No, she didn't really know what she was looking at, but she knew something was different. I think she enjoyed it at first, then it started getting a little cold. These pictures perfectly captured the moment and I love looking at them!

And of course, she's all decked out in her snow boots! What little girl wouldn't be complete without snowboots???

AB and her number one guy! This is a match made in Heaven, folks. These two are crazy about eachother!

Daddy, Mommy and Baby's footprints in the snow!

Our house hasn't ever seen this much snow! Not since we've been in it, anyway!

Welcome Emerson Lynn Poole!

Monday, about two 'o' clock in the morning my cell phone rang. Not recognizing the number, I just wrote it off as a wrong number. About 15 seconds later, Austin's phone rang - both of our phones ringing in the middle of the night one right after another? No mistake. Austin pops up and tells me that it's Kevin (whom for some reason, his number wasn't in my phone). My first thought, "Amy's in labor!" So, I scramble to dial his number back, and he tells me that Amy was woken up by her water breaking. I didn't waste any time getting over to their house (they live about 4 minutes away) to go stay with sweet Anna. When I arrived at their house, Amy wasn't experiencing any contractions or pain, just leaking fluid. So, off they went to the hospital. I fell back asleep around 3:30 or so. I woke Anna at about 5:30 to get ready for school. I wish I could've captured her face when I told her that her parents left to go to the hospital and baby Poole could be on the way (they didn't find out the gender, so almost ALL of us were predicting a boy!). Amy called about 6:00 and said she was dilated to a 2 and they were monitoring her. They were most likely going to take the baby in the next couple of days due to infection setting in from leaking fluid. We all began praying because at this point, Amy was only 30 weeks along. About 2 in the afternoon, I called and Amy was receiving an epidural for pretty intense contractions and she was dilated to a 4. Around 4:30 that afternoon, Austin, Annabelle, Anna and I went up to the hospital so Anna could see her mom and spend a little time with her. At this point, she was still at a 4. I was watching her contractions on the monitor and they were coming very close together and were nearly off the charts. We left the hospital around 6:30. On our way home my phone rings and it's Amy. When I answer she asks to talk to Anna. I wake Anna up (whose asleep in the backseat) and I hear her squeal, "It's already been born??? It's a girl??" We were FLOORED! If we had just waited about 20-30 more minutes, we would've been at the hospital we would've been there for the birth! Crazy! Not only that, but the fact that it was a girl, shocked us even more. We were even more convinced that it was a boy when the little stinker started giving Amy all of these problems! Emerson Lynn Poole was born at 3lbs 6oz and 16 in. long. She sounds teeny tiny, but for her gestational age she is exactly the weight she should be! She was whisked off to the NICU and will probably be there for a couple of months. PRAISE THE LORD this little angel made it into the world safely and soundly. She is now off the respirator and just has oxygen tubes in her nose. She's doing great AND she's beautiful. What a little blessing, and we're so excited that Annabelle and Emerson are going to be good buddies! God is good.

Emerson Lynn Poole

"The Words I Would Say"

I heard this song on the radio on our way home from church on Sunday. I don't want to forget it and I want this to be an anthem for AB's life. I can't think of any better words I would say to my child about life and how to live her life. I heard it, and immediately felt compelled to remember it and dedicate to her. It's by Sidewalk Prophets I don't know much about them, as this is the first song I've heard by them...but I'm thinking I may have to get their CD. I've also put it on my player at the bottom of my blog. Take a look and have a listen.

The Words I Would Say

Three in the morning and I'm still awake

So I picked up a pen and a page

And I started writing just what I'd say

If we were face to face.

I'd tell you just what you mean to me

Tell you these simple truths

CHORUS

Be strong in the Lord

And never give up hope

You're gonna do great things

I already know

God's got His hand on you

So don't live in fear

Forgive and forget

But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray

These are the words I would say

Last time we spoke you said you were hurting

And I felt your pain in my heart

I want to tell you that I keep on praying

That love will find you where you are

I know because I've already been there

So please here these simple truths

CHORUS

Say... from one simple life to another

I will say... come find peace in the Father

Be strong in the Lord

And never give up hope

You're gonna do great things

I already know

God's got His hand on you

So don't live in fear

Forgive and forget

But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray

And thank God for each day

His love will find a way

These are the words I would say

I couldn't have said it better myself. This is my prayer for you, sweet AB.