"Crafs"

The boys are really into crafts lately. Colson says "crafs." They love anything with markers, paper, stickers, and tape.

They spread everything out on the kitchen table, and I wouldn't have it any other way. ; )

Praise the LORD, my soul...who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion...

Psalm 103:4

Makes Me Smile

I love this picture of the boys.

The lighting is bad because my camera was on the wrong setting, but it's still wonderful. ; )

Zach is always bringing home drawings from school, and it's fun seeing his imagination on paper.

He told me this was Daddy throwing him up in the air. It's my favorite. ; )

He's also into "jet packs" on anything. I had no idea what a jet pack was until he told me. It's like a rocket belt that helps something or someone fly. This picture is of him with a jet pack. ; )

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.

Psalm 119:18

Sunday Sunday

*I bought the Valentine's monkeys and robots at Hobby Lobby. Where else? ; )

 We had a fun busy weekend!

 Friday I met some tennis friends for lunch. Love these girls!

Friday night Jason and I took the boys to FNO and tried out a new Italian restaurant Geraldi's. Delicious!

The neighborhood kids came over to play yesterday. Gives me a glimpse of how this summer will be! I just love listening to their little conversations. Chance told me he wasn't going home until it was dark. ; )

Chance, Owen, Z & Lynlee

Last night we took the boys to Sam's. Always an adventure. Life is good with free balloons, pizza, and cookies!

Today the boys were talking about Disney cars they liked, and I told them I wanted one, too. Zach laughed and said, "No, Mommy. You're a big mommy, and you can't want cars. You don't play with anything you just do the kitchen." Oh my! This kid. ; )

...take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you.

Ephesians 4:24

New

Thank you SO much, Franchesca at Small Bird Studios for my new blog design. I love it! ; ) Fran is amazing to work with and even had a new baby in the middle of working on my blog.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

I have set the LORD always before me.

Psalm 16:8

This Week

This week is flying by!

Zach loves "Where's Waldo" type books lately, so we checked one out from the library. Even Colson can find him which amazes me. ; )

 We are in full gear for Valentine's Day. Ha! I like to keep the boys busy since we don't go outside much. ; ) Zach picked out these robots and monkeys for his school party. 

The Valentine candy in all the stores is killing me. Colson wanted some chocolate hearts so I bought them, and of course I'm the only one eating them. I don't do well with candy just out in my house!

 I am working on robot V-Day shirts for the boys. I like this little guy, but his eyes and mouth about did me in. ; )

The neighborhood kids have been playing together a lot lately. So fun! They just go from house to house, and the moms text each other and watch them go back and forth. 

I was watching Colson driving around in our neighbors' yard, and he said, "Bye, Mom!" I don't think so!

Hope you're having a great week!

For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the LORD.

Ephesians 5:8

Reasons to Smile

The Hope Mommies retreat is TWO weeks away! I'm just happy happy happy about it.

Colson actually took a NAP this weekend! Can you feel the excitement in my words?!! Yea yea yea! I told Jason it was the first time I've been able to sit down in the afternoon for months. Ya'll. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it. Ha!

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We went to a birthday party at a bounce house place for the third weekend in a row. The boys were thrilled!

The theme was snowmen. So cute!

There are so many funny things to me about this picture...

1. I have no idea why I gave Colson a cupcake with black icing when he was wearing a white shirt.

2. I promise I did fix his hair before the party.

3. Zach's new thing is showing his muscles in pictures.

4. I was eyeing the rest of Westin's cookie hoping I could have it. Best sugar cookies ever.

Hope ya'll had a good weekend!

...for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth...

Ephesians 5:9

Resources for Hope Moms

I'm not really sure where I first heard the phrase "Hope Mom," but to me a hope mom is a woman who has lost a baby or child yet still has hope because of Christ. I've made a list of resources that have been a lifeline to me along the way and included ones you shared, too. Thank you! I hope this helps you or someone you know who is a hope mom. 

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep - Remembrance photography
Ian's Elephants
Hope Mommies blog
Hope Mommies facebook
Cradled
Holden Uganda
Carly Marie Project Heal
Small Bird Studio
Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Inc.
SHARE facebook - Local NWA support group
Teeny Tears
Teeny Tears facebook

Please feel free to share more ideas/resources in the comments or email me and I'll be happy to post more. If it hadn't been for other hope moms encouraging me right after Reese went to Heaven (and still now) I'm not sure where I would be!

...come down to make Your name known...

Isaiah 64:2

Anything

The days just fly by, and I realize I haven't blogged! Lately all I've been doing is playing tennis and chasing around our boys. They are in such a fun phase and getting along pretty well. Love it!

Here are a few pics from instagram (katierowe7) this week.

I'm pretty sure we are the last ones to find out you can check out dvds from the library. ; )

 The grocery store is always an adventure.

This morning a high school boy gave Colson this balloon. His face says it all.

Zach has been telling me he doesn't like Reese's flowers. ; ) This just makes me laugh. He told me he wants her to have blue flowers, so I'm sure she will get some blue flowers this spring.

The other night I read something beautiful from Jennie Allen's blog:

"See we get one life. One. And whatever God’s story for us is- do we want it? Or are we fighting it? I’m tired of striving and pretending to control."

Then I watched this video. Twice. The first time I listened and let it sink in. The second time I couldn't hold back the tears. The first question "What is the thing you want more than any other thing in the world?" My answer? I immediately knew. A daughter. A little girl to hold and watch grow up.

And sometimes I just don't know what to do with that.

Yes, I've been in a really good place for awhile. Yes, it was at night (when I'm tired and most vulnerable) and yes we are smack dab in the middle of winter's bitter darkness and cold. I get that. 

But only God Himself could ever take away my desire to have a daughter on this earth. Will He? Probably not. So is He really asking me to give up this desire to Him even though He was the one who took Reese away from me in the first place? I think He is.

Also in the video Jennie talks about what if your worst fear happened and you found out that GOD was still good? My worst fear has happened, and I know GOD is good.

I'm so blessed. I'm not sure what GOD wants to do with my "anything," but I don't have to. I'll just trust that "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that GOD has prepared for those who love Him."

...worship the LORD with all your heart. Don't turn away to follow worthless things that can't profit or deliver you...

1 Samuel 12:20-21

Operation Christmas Tree

This past summer two families that we just love and have known for years moved into our neighborhood. Thankfully the guys have not put on scary masks to run around and scare us wives, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Recently one of our neighbors put their Christmas tree in our pond. It's not really our pond, but since we've lived in the neighborhood the longest and it's by our house we feel like it is. ; )  

Our neighbor had great intentions of creating a home for fish with the tree, but the problem was that it never sank to the bottom. 

We've watched this tree float all around the pond this past week. The boys started calling it an island. Ha! It was driving Jason crazy so today he took things into his own hands.

 He "returned" the tree! The boys were excited to go on an adventure with their Daddy.

I think we may have started something...

Hope you had a great weekend!

My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

The Man Bag

Colson has a "man bag." It was actually Zach's, but now little brother has claimed it.

 How CUTE is his smile? Oh my goodness. 

We call it his car bag, and if you've ever seen us at church, school, the grocery store or gym I'm sure you've seen it. ; )

 It goes everywhere with us. He goes to bed with it, and I sneak in his room later to take it out. He loves it!

He carries some of his cars or treasures in it. I don't ever want to forget this stage!

Tonight there was a beautiful double rainbow behind our house. I think I was more excited than the boys. Amazing!

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...

Matthew 6:20

Home

I answered the questions about my salsa in my post comments, so be sure to check if you asked me one!

Our highlight this weekend was a birthday party at our favorite bounce house place.

Love this of the cousins. ; )

I'm so thankful I get to stay home with these two. We have fun days, long days, calm days, stressful days and every kind of day in between. I love that they know about Reese, and I love being their mom.

I may feel like I'm always trying to catch up with emails, blogging, laundry, and ironing, but I will never get these moments back with our boys. It's so worth it. ; )

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me.

Psalm 138:8

Salsa Recipe

A few of you have asked about my salsa recipe, and I'm happy to share. A sweet woman I used to work with gave me the recipe. So easy! I like to make it at Christmas for gifts as a break from all the sweets. ; ) I've used it so much the paper now looks like this. This recipe has a lot of love!

I put the salsa in glass pint or quart jars from Wal-Mart or Target, put a label on the top, and tie a ribbon around the lid. That's it!

Salsa ~

Blend in blender

1 large can diced tomatos

2 cans of rotel

1 TBS. garlic

1 TBS. lime/lemon juice

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. cilantro

1/4 cup onion

Salt & pepper to taste
1 capful of olive oil

You can also double the recipe. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

Psalm 65:11

Lions, Tigers & Bears

We live near a wildlife refuge that mainly rescues tigers. We've wanted to take the boys for awhile so this fall Jason bought a deal through Living Social. Well, it expired today so last weekend we decided to go after it snowed. Really? Crazy, I know but I was not about to lose our $10 or $15 we saved. ; )

 So we bundled up the boys and off we went on our adventure. Colson looks like such a little man!

 There were several tigers, lions, a bear, a monkey, and a fox. Each one had a story about how they were rescued. I was surprised how many other people were there, too. I thought we would be the only ones.

 We took a tour then watched feeding time. The boys loved it! We just tried not to think about how cold we were. ; )

Happy to check this off my list! Thankful for the double cages between the animals and us, too.

Above all, fear the LORD and worship Him faithfully with all your heart, considering the great things He has done for you.

1 Samuel 12:24

Reese's Gifts

My family is the best. They are so thoughtful and surprise me (even though I shouldn't be!) every year at Christmas time with special things they do for and in honor of Reese.

I love this keychain with the little angel wing and put my key on it as soon as we got home.

Donations were made to

*Esther's House
*Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
*Arbor Day Foundation 
*This group's identity could not be shared, they but they are "a team of Christians in East Asia who advocate for and minister to abandoned children who have disabilities."

Angel ornaments

Angel wing tags

Blankets and bows to be donated to the NICU

I hope this encourages you if you are thinking of doing something for a friend or family member who has lost a baby. Big or small, it does not matter. Trust me, it means the world! 

Happy New Year!

...for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Romans 14:7-8