Christmas Craziness

Sorry for being so tardy with this post...the Christmas Season is in full swing, and so is my stress! :) I am pretty much done with my shopping and decorating - so that feels good. But I am figuring out that what would save us all a lot of time and stress - would be if we bought a few presents for ourselves (so we could get the things we REALLY want) and just do presents for the kids in our lives. (that really enjoy it) And spend our money on the people who REALLY have needs - the angel tree kids at our churches, the troops, giving money to missionaries. The birth of our Saviour is what Christmas is really about - not the craziness. We bring that on ourselves... Although, I really do love buying gifts - and to see a smile and know they really do like what they got!

On that note, I want to let y'all know about something I heard on the radio. Southern Link Wireless is collecting cards, letters, and care packages to send to the troops overseas that are from our area. They are doing this in several states - not just Alabama. So go to www.southernlink.com/community and click on the soldier option. It will give you all the details for what they need. All you have to do is drop the things off at one of their locations (listed on the site). Campbell and I are writing letters and making Christmas cards to send, and I also went to the Dollar Tree and loaded up on stuff for the care packages. They have TONS of stuff that they need, and it doesn't cost much! Please consider doing this - we should be so thankful for our troops - and they deserve a great Christmas being so far from home...

Part of the Christmas Craziness at our house has been Ben working extra to make some money to put towards Christmas... this has left me and Campbell a little lonely - but we are thankful for his hard work! It was so sad - Ben hardly saw Campbell at all this week (he was on call several times, and worked late). Wednesday night he came home at 6, but then had to leave again at 6:20. He picked Campbell up to tell her by before leaving again, and she looked at him and said "Dada workin?" He answered yes, and she replied "All done workin!" It broke my heart - she wanted him to be all done!
Poor Ben was a little teary too, so hopefully he can have some time off soon.

I heard someone say the other day on TV that it doesn't surprise him that people get so stressed during Christmas. What other time do we try to send a card to everyone we know, buy a gift for everyone we know, redecorate our house, and visit all our family - all in less than one month! :)

Stay tuned for pictures of our tree, Campbell, etc!

Congrats Ben!

We are very proud of Ben... he was offered the Chief Resident position at Baptist, and he took it! His "chief year" will be the year after he finishes residency (he'll start it in a year and a half). They ask 1 or 2 people to do this each year, and they oversee the residents, do scheduling, take care of some of the administrative stuff, get to teach, etc. All of which Ben will be GREAT at! :) The part I am excited about, is he will have a VERY easy schedule, and will be home with us a lot more - yea! It also means we will have 1 more year in Birmingham - which we are really excited about since we are really just now feeling settled in our house and church, making new friends, etc. We'll see what the Lord has in store after that...

Fall Fun

We have definitely been enjoying our fall... we have been to Dr.Crosby's pumpkin patch in Auburn, the Pumpkin Festival here in Birmingham at the Botanical Gardens, and the Fall Festival at Dawson Baptist. We still have more to come this weekend - with our church's Fall Festival tailgate on Sunday - pictures to come soon...

Campbell LOVED the Fall Festival at Dawson - they had a mini carosel to ride with mommy, tea cups to ride with Daddy and our friends the Booths (the dads squeezed into 1 tea cup together with the girls - it was hilarious!), cotton candy, snow cones, and a band! It was such a fun night... Campbell didn't wear her real Halloween costume (it was too much to play in) but she did wear her tutu. Thanks for inviting us Booth family!

Dr.Crosbys pumpkin patch was a hit too. We had mommy, daddy, Campbell, Honey, Aunt Jess, Aunt Kimmie, and much of the Crosby clan there. We got to run through the pumpkins, dig in the corn, and go on a hay ride!

My friend Jamie and I took the girls to the Botanical Gardens while the men were working - and we ran into our friends Kari and Ellie there too! It was fun while it lasted, but really the girls just loved running free through the gardens - although Campbell didn't understand why should couldn't pick those flowers...

Happy Fall!

Prayer for Katie Crosby

 

My friend Kimmie's sister, Katie Crosby, just left for the mission field for at least 2 years straight - no coming home inbetween. She is working with Muslims in Northern Africa, and will travel to other places as well. Please keep her in your prayers - as well as her family - 2 years is a long time! I got to be in Auburn the weekend before she left for her commissioning service at church, and a friends and family "send off" party after. It was such a blessing to hear her tell us about how the Lord has been preparing her for this for a while - and how strong her calling to the Muslim population is. This is a hard and dangerous calling - but obviously so close to the heart of God. Although we all aren't called to this specifically (however I do think the Lord mandates mission work) we can be a part of this Kingdom work through praying for her. It was also really neat to see the strong support she has from her parents... Although I'm sure they will worry about her, they obviously trust her to the Lord. I pray that one day I get to see Campbell involved in God's work on the mission field - and that I can trust the Lord as the Crosby's do...

Random

Here are some pictures from the last month... some late birthday pictures, our zoo trip with friends from church, and Kimmie's baby shower! Enjoy!

Daddy-Daughter Time

Last weekend in Auburn while I was at a baby shower for one of my friends, Daddy played with Campbell. He took her to the mall to keep her busy and found a photo booth to get these classic pictures taken. I thought they were precious!

One more thing...

Does anyone have any suggestions on the easiest way to clean blinds? I have tried paper towel, sock and cleaning solutions - but this could take years... any quicker ideas?

Boyd Family Beach Trip

So, I am WAY behind and trying to catch up.... bear with me!

My family took a beach trip to Panama City Beach Labor Day weekend. Papa, Honey, Uncle Brian, Aunt Savannah (Brian's girlfriend who Campbell calls Aunt Vannie), me, Ben and Campbell loaded up in 2 cars and made the trip down on Friday, and came back Monday. As you know, Hurrican Gustav was coming through that weekend - so we were a little nervous. Thankfully, the weather was great and we didn't have to evacuate... although the storm took over the beach and you couldn't even see the sand. Savannah and I were even forced to play in the hurricane waves by Ben and Brian - what were we thinking?!? The trip was great - Campbell loved the beach and the pool, and we enjoyed the shopping and great food! Savannah and Brian got her the cutest beach stuff - sand toys with her name on them, a car float for the pool that she LOVED, and even a baby beach towel with her name on it! She even got brave enough to put her face under in the pool - and then after hearing everyone clap and chear, did it over and over! Can't wait till next year...

I heart Consignment Sales

For those of you who don't know, the BEST invention for moms was the consignment sale... a way to sell your childrens clothes that you don't need anymore, and buy other gently used clothing that you DO want! For those of us on a strict budget, these things are amazing... I have gotten SO much of Campbell's clothes at these - and go to almost 8 sales every season! Dressy clothes, casual clothes, furniture, toys, you name it! So the last big sale of the season just ended here in Birmingham -and it was great... I went the night that I got the stomach bug, which was a terrible time to be there - but I had the much-coveted early admission pre-sale pass, and I wasn't going to miss it! I got Campbell pajamas, some cute clothes, and a big girl bed and slide for the back yard! (for an AMAZING deal) She loves the slide - and although we love her bed, we are going to wait a little longer to make the switch. If you are interested in these sales and want more info, let me know! I will have my spring/summer sales maped out before you know it! :)

My Birthday... a little late

I turned 27 September 30th, and had a great week or so of celebration... minus the stomach bug! My family and friends were so good to me - thanks everybody! Sweet Ben helped me celebrate my birthday week with several fun gifts: BEAUTIFUL flowers from Dorothy McDaniels in Homewood, an I heart Jim coffee mug (from the office), a really cool bracelet with campbells name and birthday on it, and a makeup makeover at bare minerals. He even (tried) to surprise me with dinner with friends and a "the office" party at our house. That weekend we went to Atlanta for a family reunion, and I stayed with Brian and Savannah for a few days to shop and hang out with them. Savannah (my brothers girlfriend) took me to a really cool western themed fundraiser for several local charitys - and we got to ride a mechanical bull! sort of... She and Brian took me to Noche - one of my favorite dinner spots... it was so fun! Then sweet Jessica, Joy and Kimmie got tickets to the Brad Paisley concert - and I got the stomach bug and couldn't go! Last weekend all of our college friends got together for dinner for mine and Hannah's birthdays - it was full of laughter as usual... I love birthdays!

Ring A Bell?

I thought this was so funny, and so true. Not of me, or any of you who have blogs of course! Just those other people. . . :)

-Ben (not Katie this time)

Birthdays, Stomach bugs and school - oh boy!

Well, as of Sept.30 I am now 27 years old - and quickly approaching 30! It has gone by fast - I remember wanting to have had all my children by 30 - oh well! I had a pretty good birthday - thanks to a very sweet husband, wonderful family and the best of friends! More to come on that with pictures soon...

Soon after I hit the big 27, I started to get a stomach ache. My mom had just had a bug this past weekend, and I was with her. I had an "early viewing" ticket for a big consignment sale that night, so I went hoping I wouldn't get sick there - but it was too good to pass up! I felt terrible the whole time I was there and prayed not to pass out... after 2 hours of shopping in an old Bruno's full of other moms, I had had enough. I checked out quickly, and got in the car. (glad I went - campbell got some new clothes, a hamper, a big girl bed and mattress, AND a slide for the backyard!) But, on the way home I almost had to pull over and let Ben come get me... I got home, ran to the bed and collapsed. Soon after, the fun began and didn't end until the next morning. Ben almost took me to the hospital because my blood sugar kept getting low, and I couldn't keep anything down to raise it. When I tried to get in the car to go, I had to run back in to the bathroom... I couldn't even make it to the hospital. Poor, sweet Jess came over to stay with Campbell in case we had to go the hospital, and I'm sure she saw me in a whole new light that night! I know you all know I can exaggerate, but this was no joke - the worst thing I have EVER had. And I am quite experienced in the stomach bug arena - I was hospitalized for it 4 times when we lived in Mobile! It even rivaled childbirth... I thought I was going to die. (and at some point probably wanted to...) All that to say, Ben is now not feeling good this morning - lets just hope we can spare poor Campbell!

On to the good news... after much praying and with some birthday money from mom and dad (thank you!) I found a temporary spot at the Mothers Day Out at Briarwood. Campbell is SUPER busy these days, and doesn't love running errands anymore - I don't blame her! To give her (and me) a break and let her do something fun instead of run to the bank, pharmacy, etc. - she gets to go to school! Her buddy Winston is even in her class! We are so thankful for this! They get to play with friends, have snack, play outside, do crafts, and learn from God's Word. Her first day was Friday, and I was so excited about it - until I got sick. So Daddy got to take her, and she did really well. She made a pom-pom (which she said perfectly when telling me about it) and anytime I asked her anything about school she would just say "Oh,boy!" and smile really big. She loved it! This spot is only hers until the end of December, so I am praying something else will open up.

Hope you all have a STOMACH-BUG FREE weekend - WAR EAGLE!

She has stolen my heart...

I love being Campbell's mom... not that we don't have our bad days - very bad days - but there are also many moments that make all those days worth it. For example:

-This morning when I went in to get her up, I picked her up and she touched my face and hair and said "pretty..." ONLY my child could think that I was pretty at 8am with no make up, bedhead, morning breath and in pjs. She made my day...

-She always says Bens name 1,000 times a day wondering where he is, and I respond "Daddys at work baby - he will be home soon." She then repeats "soon....". So now she will just save time and tell herself "Dada...soon." :( I hate that he has to work so much... She picked up a framed picture of the 2 of them this morning, brought it to me and said "kiss,hug!" She then took it, kissed Bens face and hugged the frame for like 10 minutes. I was in tears!

-She loves our dog Bailey, and now Bailey is finally warming up to her too. She will let Campbell hug and kiss her - which are 2 of Campbells favorite things. They also love to play chase. She always looks forward to coming home to see "Baweeeey" and to personally let her out of the kennel. Today we pulled in the garage from a trip to the grocery store and she yelled "Baweeeeey!" I said, "Yeah baby - we get to go see Bailey! What do you think she has been doing?" and Campbell matter-of-factly answered "Barking." :) I didn't even know she knew that word...

Enjoy your day - and this GREAT fall weather!

Test Results

PRAISE THE LORD! Ben got his test results back, and he is HIV negative! We are so very thankful for this... and for all your prayers.

O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.
Isaiah 25:1

Thankful

I am thankful for many things - one of which is my parents. They have loved me and bent over backwards for me my whole life - and still do. They are so generous to help with Campbell, and most importantly - love her like I do. They took her for a few days so she could spend time with them, and so I could clean our filthy house! :) THANK YOU honey and papa for loving us with a selfless love...

I am also thankful for the prayers of friends and family, and the peace and protection of Christ. Bens second HIV test is tomorrow, and God has been so gracious to give Ben and I peace throughout this process. I usually don't get updset/worried until a few days before each test, which I am so thankful for! Thank you for all of your prayers, and please be praying for this test tomorrow afternoon.

He is supposed to be "in the clear" after this 12 week test, but there is a slim chance things could change. Ben being the wise husband he is, reminded me that the Lord is using this situation (especially in those he works with that ask about this) and that we shouldn't rely on the facts and statistics for our comfort - but that our trust should be completely in the Lord. A husband who loves the Lord... another thing I am thankful for.

1 Chronicles 29:13
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name...

PS - sorry for another post without pictures - pictures of our beach trip coming soon!

A Simple Reminder...

I love how the Lord using so many different things in our lives to teach us - especially our children. I am just now beginning to experience this since Campbell is so young, but it is such a blessing.

We have tried to teach her to stay still and quiet when we pray before meals, but that doesn't always happen. She recently started folding her hands with us, and has always been good about yelling amen (usually to hurry daddy up so we can eat!) ... Then the other night we were hurridly sitting down to eat and as I was about to take a bite I heard her yell "PAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!" It took me a mintue, but when I realized her hands were folded and she was reminding me to PRAY (pronounced paaaaaay), I almost cried. I was in such a hurry, and even at 19 months Campbell knew I was forgetting something important.

I often think I am the one teaching Campbell, but so often SHE is the one teaching ME... thank you Lord.

The Sisterhood

Tomorrow is one of my very best friends birthday - Happy Birthday Joy! To celebrate, our group of high school friends, aka "The Sisterhood" :) (me, jess, kimmie, and joy)
went to kidnap the birthday girl and took her to Cheesecake Factory for cheesecake, then to the movies to see The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. Why you ask? It was actually pretty good (for a cheesy girl movie) and there are 4 friends in the movie, like there are 4 of us. We loved the first one, and have been waiting to see this one together. The fun part was picking which character we each resembled, which was funny - because we all wanted to be the "pretty and skinny" one. I also enjoyed have Kimmie immitate Costas' greek accent in my ear through most of the movie - I almost wet my pants! These girls are one of the BEST blessings in my life - we have been together through many ups and downs - high school relationships, arguments, many many trips, living far apart, weddings, and a baby! And FINALLY, we are all in the same city! I can't wait for whats to come - I love you girls.

In sickness and in health...

Campbell and I have managed to get a really bad cold this week... and as much as it bothers me to be blowing my nose all day, sound like a man, and not be able to taste anything - its much worse to watch my little one go through it! Thankfully, Ben hasn't gotten it yet - and hopefully won't. So, he has had to deal with a sick wife and a sick baby... not a fun week. Campbell coughed ALL through the night last night, keeping both Ben and I awake - then I would start coughing, and have to go sit in the closet to try to let him sleep. I felt so bad for him! (he already has to function on like 5 or 6 hours of sleep) But being the WONDERFUL husband and father he is, he has jumped right in and done whatever he can to help me with Campbell, do dishes, pick up her toys, etc. What would we do without him?!?

Uncle Brian (my brother) and Aunt Savannah (his girlfriend) are coming this weekend - I just hope we don't pass it on them!

Have a great weekend!

Summertime, Livin's Easy

Sorry it's been a while since we posted some pictures - Campbell is growing so fast! Here are a few of her enjoying her redneck pool and the sprinkler - what else can you do when your poor and its hot? :) There are also a few from when we took Campbell to feed the baby ducks, and her and her boyfriend Winston in the pool! I can't believe the summer is almost over, although it will still FEEL like summer here for a while... Hope you all have enjoyed yours as much as we have. Get excited about football season! I just took Campbell for her 18 month check up last week, and she is still 25% for weight, 25% for height, and like 75% for her head measurement! No major changes there... I think she weighed around 24 pounds. She is talking a ton - Ben calls her a parrot... she literally will repeat ANYTHING you say - watch out mom and dad! :) Enjoy the pics...

Praise the Lord!

Ben got his test back last night (finally!) and it is negative for now at least! Yea!
Sorry for not returning the phone calls of those of you who so sweetly checked on us yesterday, but I had a rough day with a migraine... yuck. We are so thankful for all your prayers and support for us. He will have another test in 6 weeks, and the result could have changed by then. (it usually shows up between 6 and 12 weeks - and we just passed the 6 week mark) Keep praying!

After a month of night float and these test results in the back of our minds, Ben and I decided we needed a little break! Our sweet parents kept Campbell so we could have a weekend alone. We went to dinner with Joy, Kimmie and their husbands Friday night and saw the new Batman movie - it was so good! I night with adults is a rare occasion for us - and we had a blast! Then Saturday morning we went to Atlanta for the night, and stayed at the new Mansion Hotel on Peachtree... wow... it is amazing. The cheapest room there is $495 a night - but thankfully since we had a connection (my brother works in the building next door and got us a business rate - thanks brian!) we got to stay for much, much less. We even had our own butler, and art work that turned into a flat screen tv, not to mention a flat screen in the bathroom... heaven! I even got to get a massage Sunday morning while Ben helped my brother move -hmmmm, how did I get the sweeter end of the deal? :) Brian and Savannah took us to a really good restaurant Saturday night, and we even went out afterwards. Brian had us laughing so hard we were crying... its always so fun to spend time with them.

But while we were having so much fun in Atlanta, poor little Campbell started breaking out with a rash in Auburn, which we later found out was hand, foot and mouth disease. (not as bad as it sounds - but still very sad) My mom had to take her to the doctor in Auburn, and I was so glad to see her on Sunday. I hate being away from her when she doesn't feel good! Thanks Honey, Papa, Doll and Pop Pop for taking care of our sick little girl! She is much better now, and back to normal. She even ate the Red Pepper and Sausage Baked Ziti I made for dinner last night... and when Ben told her it was spicy, she took a huge bite and yelled "mmmmmmm... spiiiiicy!"
Ben took some pictures at the hotel with his phone - I'll try to get them up soon.

Waiting

So, Ben had his test done this afternoon - but he was told they wouldn't have the results until tomorrow afternoon, or possibly Monday. It kills me to have to wait even that long, but then there will be more after that! There are 6 more weeks of waiting for the next test after this - could the Lord be teaching me some much needed patience?!? :) Thanks for all your prayers - I will update as soon as possible.

The big test...

Well, Ben's first HIV test is tomorrow afternoon - and when he told me today, I didn't believe him. I really thought it was still a few weeks away... This will be the test for the 6 week mark, but he will continue having them for over 6 more weeks, and even if it is negative tommorrow - it could still change at the next test. BUT, we are trusting in our wonderful, loving, living, healing God to get us through what the next 6 weeks holds. Please pray for our family - and I will keep you posted with our news.

Ben's Birthday

Well, Ben turned 27 since my last post (June 25) - happy birthday dada! He is well on his way to 30, and not too happy about it. :) He started a pretty rough work month before his birthday, so we celebrated a little early and just stopped celebrating last weekend! The week before his birthday we had "birthday week" - a great concept stolen from our friends Nathan and Taylor, where you do something special (gift, etc) each day of the week of your birthday. I made him his favorite foods and desserts each night that week, and we went to the Farmers Market at Pepper Place on Saturday. For those of you in Birmingham that haven't been there - you must go! Or, if you come visit us - we'll take you! They have great fresh fruits and veggies, music, food, and other vendors. Campbell even got some home-made ice cream! We also went to Auburn the weekend after his birthday to see Ben's sister Lauren and her family, and we celebrated there too! (pictures from the Auburn trip to come soon...)

He is doing well on the medication they have given him for the HIV stick other than some stomach problems... but not too bad. He will have more blood drawn in 3-4 weeks and we might know something then, but nothing definite for several weeks after that. We are just trusting in our Maker and praying for His hand of protection to be over us during the waiting period. Keep praying!

Campbell is walking SO well - we are really proud of her. We thought it may never happen! She is going through this independant period right not - wanting to do EVERYTHING herself, most of which she can't. So it has been interesting... but really fun to watch her grow. I wish she would slow down! Here are some pictures from the the Farmers Market - we wore Campbell out!

Update

Hey everyone... just wanted to post a little update for Ben. He is doing well on the medications - although they made him sick and tired at work this weekend, but I think he's feeling better now. He will be on the medication for 4 weeks, and then at 6 weeks they should be able to tell him something more definite. He will continue to have blood drawn every few weeks so they can monitor everything. I was strangely calm about this for a while, but in the last few days it has caught up with me. I think I was just pretending it didn't happen... but the Lord is faithful in that He is my Rock - and strong enough to carry this burden for me. For that I am very thankful...

I just want to say that we obviously know that this needle stick didn't catch God off gaurd, or surprise Him. We serve a sovereign God who is all knowing and all powerful and in charge. He will use this situation for His glory - and I am sure of that. One thing He has done so far is to remind me how WONDERFUL our friends and family are, and what a blessing they are from Him. We received so many phone calls and emails letting us know we were being prayed for - and countless offers for people to come to give me company, help with Campbell, etc. The fact that you all love us that much has overwelmed me at many moments this past week, and I want to say thank you. God hears and answers the prayers of His children, and they are getting us through this!

I will pass along any updates as we receive them... we love y'all!

How could this happen?

Ben was on call last night, and he usually calls me around 10 before he lays down - but by 11 or so last night, I still hadn't heard from him. I called him around 11:30 to check on him and he sounded really down. I assumed, he must have had a busy night - or, I'm sure he is exhausted. I was not prepared for what he said next...

He had a patient with HIV, and got stuck by one of his needles. I still can't believe it as I type it. All I could think was, "How could this happen?!?" Its not April, right? This would be a cruel April Fool's joke - I was speechless. After being with Ben through 4 years of medical school, and now going into his second year of residency, you would think I would be more prepared for something like this. There are probably a lot of things that could happen to him everyday - or things he could bring home and spread to us - but I try not to think about those things...

He assured me that the chance of him getting it is low, but still - THERE IS A CHANCE?!? What?!? my head is still kind of spinning... he had to have a lot of blood work done right away, and had to start several medications to prevent it - and they supposedly make you sick. Of course I was thinking, can Campbell and I get this? I guess there is always that chance - so we will have to be taking measures to prevent it... all this said, I trust the Lord to take care of us in this situation - but please pray. Pray for Ben to not be sick on the medication, and for protection against something like this happening again. Pray that he will not get it - and that Campbell and I will be protected too.

I just can't believe I am actually asking God to protect my husband and my family from HIV...

FINALLY!

finally - several things... campbell took her first steps! yes, she IS 16 months old, and yes - she is just taking her first steps. but we are SO proud of her! it happened last tuesday - she stood up on her own, and i called her to come to me - and for the first time she did! i wouldn't consider her "walking" yet, but we know she can - she just lacks a little confidence. we also went for her 15 month appointment last week (a little late - whoops!) and she was 22 lbs 4 oz (25%), 75% for head measurement (yikes! :) ), and 30 inches long. she's a petite little thing! she is saying so much now - her new favorites are thank you, please, bubbles, and uh-oh.

also, the new hard drive is finally here, so now i can post pictures! yea! i know thats all y'all really care about, so i'll get right to it...

i didn't have the time to label each picture, but these are from our trip back to mobile, our trip to visit friends in atlanta for memorial day weekend, mothers day, her one year photo shoot and several random pics of her over the last few weeks. enjoy!

Very Soon . . .

Hey, new hard drive is up and running, Katie should have some new posts with some pics soon. Here is one picture from Campbell's photo shoot that I like the best. Anyway, hope this will be some good fodder for you blog trollers out there, you know who you are. And maybe I'm biased, but is she not the cutest thing you have ever seen in the entire history of the world? I mean come on . . .

P.S. And thanks to all you folks that prayed for me for boards, I know it helped.

Update

Ben passed boards! YEA! We are so very proud of him - not only did he pass, but he did very well! Thank you for all your prayers...

Also, we are STILL waiting for our new hardrive - sorry for all the posts with no pictures, but I will put them up ASAP.

We had a great Memorial Day weekend and thankfully Ben had several days off. We got to go to Atlanta to see our wonderful friends the Morrison's and Brown's in Atlanta. Thanks for hosting Brown's! It was such a good time of fellowship for the adults, and the kids! We also took Campbell to see my grandparents at their lake house and really enjoyed our time with them - we don't see them enough!

On that note, my sweet grandfather might be having kidney surgery soon to remove a possibly cancerous lesion. Please be praying for him and my grandmother... I am also having to go to the doctor in the morning because of an ovarian cyst that ruptured several weeks ago. (that Ben had to take me to the ER for) I am still having some problems that could be associated with more cyst, and infection - or something... so hopefully they will do an ultrasound in the morning and figure it out. It has thrown my blood sugars all over the place, and that is never a good thing. I'll keep you posted.

I hope you all had a good Memorial Day also - and that you remembered all those who have, and are still fighting for our country... we owe them everything.

Please excuse the delay...

I have SO many cute pictures to share with y'all, but unfortunately, our hardrive is full! I have been waiting on Ben to order the new one so I could put the pictures on the computer, but its not here yet... hopefully soon!

Campbell is still not walking, but she is pushing this walk-behind toy she has by herself... she just won't let go and walk on her own. She is definitely not going to be a risk taker (she gets that from me)- she is a very skeptical little girl! :) But I will say, I LOVE how social she is... she wants to greet everyone she sees, then ask them to hold her. It doesn't matter what sex they are, what color they are, what age they are - she just loves people. And I love that about her. She also has these conversations now where she is so sure of what she's saying - but no one else is! I love it - I could listen to her jibber jabber all day long!

Still haven't heard back about Ben's boards yet - so keep him in your prayers! Campbell and I too - he has a really tough call month in June, then has night float in July... meaning he will work everyday from 5pm till 6am - crazy! Hope you all had a great weekend!

I've been tagged...

taylor tagged me, so here's my list...

what was i doing 10 years ago?

loving my sophomore year of high school (i would go back in a hearbeat if i could...), dating someone that had been one of my best guy friends, just had
first kiss (sad, i know), getting ready to leave for Camp Seale Harris - a
camp i worked at for kids with diabetes

5 things on my to-do list:

1. unpack from trip (i hate this part)
2. organize my closet (i LOVE this - and would do it for a living)
3. take campbell for a walk (it's really pretty - and not too hot)
4. spend time with God (always on my list - and way too often neglected, plus shouldn't it be my number one? hmmmm...)
5. pay bills

5 snacks i love:

1. CHOCOLATE (dark is my favorite)
2. cheese (all kinds, especially blue and sharp cheddar)
3. fat free doritos (but i can't find them anymore - what happened?!?)
4. caffeine free diet dr. pepper
5. roasted garlic on anything

5 things i would do if i were a billionaire:

1. give lots - to my church, to several friends in ministry, to CMMA - the christian medical ministry, several overseas ministries
2. pay off our medical school loans! :)
3. move - i love our house, but i would move if we had the money...
4. save (for campbell, retirement, etc)
5. buy ben the gun he's been wanting
6. shopping spree for me!

5 bad habits:

1. don't drink enough water
2. waste too much time on tv/computer
3. have major sweet tooth (and i'm diabetic!)
4. like to be in control
5. people pleaser

5 places i have lived:

1. nashville (born)
2. starkville, mississippi (through elementary school)
3. auburn, alabama (through college)
4. mobile, alabama (for medical school)
5. birmingham, alabama (currently)

5 jobs i've had or have*:

1. heartstrings - high school & college
2. camp seale harris - high school & college
3. debra's (boutique) - when first married
4. grace community church - second job in mobile
5. arbonne skin care consultant - currently

*my favorite and most challenging job has been being a mother, and i have a dream to be a personal shopper, and have a fashion blog - just FYI :)

i want to know more about*: (you're tagged!)

1. robyn villacampa
2. annie parks
3. lindsey slagley
4. katie isaak
5. christina brannen

*now you all hate me....

Prayer for Dr.Compton

Poor Ben has been studying for Step 3 of Boards in the small amount of free time he has after work... he is a genius, so I know he will do well - but its a REALLY expensive test, and he wants to make sure he gets it right the first time... Campbell and I took a long overdue trip to Mobile this weekend for baby Davis's baptism - and to meet him for the first time! (I'll post pics soon) It also gave Ben some peace and quiet to study... his test is Tuesday and Wednesday - please pray for him these next few days.

Hope you all enjoy your Monday - I'm off to take a nap... Campbell has had lots of EARLY mornings lately due to some new teeth, and my first out of town trip without Ben was fun, but tiring!

Campbell Update

Poor little Campbell had a rough week last week... she has had a cold for about 3 weeks, and finally got an antibiotic. It didn't seem to be helping, then last week she spiked a temp of 104. She has never had a fever, so I was frantic of course. Dr. Dad calmed me down, and we got it down to 101 before bed, but she kept the temp for several days. When we went to the doctor, everything looked okay - except her white blood cell count. They wanted to start doing some test, and the worrier in me had ridiculous things like cancer flashing through my mind... They had to prick her finger, draw blood, giver her 2 bad antibiotic shots, and since they couldn't get a urine sample - cath her twice. Needless to say, it tortured me to watch them do all this. Thankfully, her temp eventually came down - and she is back to her normal self. Who knows what it was... but Campbell is never sick, so this was a scare.

On a lighter note, she is getting more and more verbal - and closer to walking. She loves to say hi and bye while waving frantically - to anyone that will notice. This is really funny when we are in public... she never meets a stranger and is now best friends with all the check out ladies and greeters at Wal Mart, the waitresses at our favorite restaurants, etc. She is quite a people person! My mom got her some "big girl shoes" with hard soles, and she actually stood by herself for a little bit. She still only walks when she can hold onto something, but she is getting a little more brave each day - hopefully I will be chasing her soon! (remind me I said that :) )

We also had her first professional pictures taken... and they are beautiful! The photographer (and model!) were great - I don't know how we will choose! You can see her pictures at http://www.heatherswannerphotography.com/OnlineViewing. Scroll down to Katie Compton, click Enter Gallery, then use campbell for the password.
I'll post some pictures soon...

My Little Fashionista

Well, I just couldn't resist posting this... my little girl has started exploring the world of fashion! :) I was making the bed the other day, and looked down to find Campbell "reading" Hapers Bazaar - one of my favorite fashion magazines. Like mother, like daughter I guess... it was a proud moment. haha

We had a pretty busy Easter weekend. One of my best friends got married this weekend in Auburn - so we got to celebrate with our families there. Uncle Brian came down from Atlanta and gave Campbell the sweetest story Bible, and Honey and Papa spoiled Campbell as usual with new pj's, toys, and other Easter goodies. We went to church with them and ate Easter brunch with Ben's parents and Uncle Gavin. I don't have the Easter pictures on the computer yet - so stay tuned...

The wedding was wonderful - and Joy was the most beautiful bride. My friend Kimmie flew in from Florida for the wedding, and it was so good to see her. It was a very fun, and very busy weekend! I'll post some pictures of the wedding soon too.

A Campbell update: she is saying momma, dada, dog, and today I got her to say apple! She still isn't walking, but is crawling so fast I can't catch her. She is pulling up on things now, which is a relief, but I am still going to have her evaluated by a pediatric physical therapist just in case. Her legs seem a little weak, but who knows - she might just be a late walker. She is so lovable - she LOVES giving kisses (with her mouth open) and big hugs. I love this phase! Bailey (our dog) is one of her favorite things - and luckily, Bailey is starting to warm up to her. When Bailey goes out to the backyard "bathroom", Campbell sits at the back door and watches her every move through the window. She can't keep her eyes off her!

Hope you all had a great Easter weekend - praise God, He is Risen!

Campbell's First Birthday

Well, it happened... my sweet baby girl turned one! I can't believe it - I feel like it was yesterday that I was in the hospital wondering how I would take care of that tiny thing - and now she is so big! She is such a joy - Ben and I love every minute with her. She laughs constantly - and is turning into a little social buttefly. I took her for her 12 month appointment, and she is almost 20.5 pounds, 29 inches. Things looked great - except the doctor was a little worried she isn't pulling up on things, and has little interest in trying to stand. So, we are going to have her evaluated by a pediatric physical therapist just in case. I'll keep you posted...

Back to the party - we had her party on Sunday, February 3rd - her actual birthday. Lots of friends and family made it really special - and we missed those of you who couldn't be there. It was a cupcake themed party - and I made monogrammed apple cupcakes (some in ice cream cones, some not) with cream cheese apple butter frosting, chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese filling, and good ole' plain yellow cupcakes with chocolate icing. Campbell didn't really know what to do with her cupcake at first - she had more fun smushing it in her hands than she did eating it!
Honey and Papa (my mom and dad) got her a really cute birthday outfit to wear that was pink with a cupcake embroidered on it with one candle. Too cute!

Everyone completely spoiled her - she got lots of great books, toys and clothes. Even a pair of monogrammed scrubs to match daddy's! My Aunt found a Bible cover that my late grandmother Zadie Belle made, and gave it to Campbell. My grandmother was very special to me - and I miss her very much. So of course, I cried. I'm sure you are all surprised... Also - my brother Brian made Campbell a rocking chair to match her room - so again, I cried! All in all, her birthday was wondeful - we enjoyed every second of it. But part of me (okay, all of me) wishes she could stay little forever...

One more thing...

When thinking about that song, I came across a wonderful sermon by Spurgeon on the same topic... as much as feel like we love our Lord - it is, and never will be, anything compared to His love for us. Praise God!

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/3228.htm

Oh, how He loves us!

It is late, and I am tired - but I must share this with you... Ben is working late tonight, and I came to check my email and look at a few blogs after putting Campbell down. I first went to Katie McDowell Isaak's blog (she discipled me in high school) and found a YouTube video she posted. It is the video of a praise song called "Oh, how He loves us". Katie titled the post - "The strength of His pursuit is tireless"... how true.

For those of you who know me (Katie), you know I love to worship through music and can, at times, become emotional. :) Lately, I haven't really been feeling "good enough" in many areas - not a good enough mom to campbell, not good at keeping my house clean enough or organized enough, not being a good enough wife or even child of God... Satan has really been getting to me.

Then I listened to this song tonight, and something hit me... something I already knew, but had easily forgotten. God doesn't love me because I AM good enough - He loves me becuase I'm NOT - and I need Him. Oh, how I need Him! So as I listened over and over again, and tears fell - the Lord sweetly reminded me that He doesn't care if my house is perfectly cleaned or perfectly organized. He loves me. Anyway.

The chorus to this song is simple, but the few verses are really neat...please take the time to listen. I hope you are encouraged as I was. You can find a link to Katie's blog on ours under Links - Jerry and Katie.

Oh, How He loves us

He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane
I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy

When all of a sudden
I am aware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful you are
And how great your affections are for me

And Oh, how He loves us!
Oh, how He loves us!

We are His portion
He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean
We're all sinking...

So Heaven meets Earth like a sloppy wet kiss
and my heart turns violently inside my chest
I don't have time for regrets when I think about

How He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us
He loves us!

So, in conclusion...

Campbell is now talking - saying dada and momma (as of October) and crawling (as of 2 weeks ago, has two bottom teeth (as of December) and will be ONE YEAR OLD in less than a month... scary. I can't believe my little girl is getting so big. I am including some random pictures from the last few months - enjoy!

I think thats it - you are all up to date! Now, if I can just stick to my resolution and keep you posted AS things happen... then maybe this will be the last time I post 100 things in one day! :)

Girls Trip to Bradenton

Every year my best friends from high school (Joy, Jessica & Kimmie) and I try to take a trip together - even if its a small one. This year, we decided to go visit Kimmie in Bradenton, Florida. Unfortunately because of her pending wedding and work schedule, Joy couldn't come... we missed you Joy! The trip was great - the 7 hour drive was totally worth it. We went to eat at some of Kimmie's favorite places (including the hole-in-the-wall BBQ place in the picture - we were the only ones in there under the age of 80!), shopped at the outlets, and went to Busch Gardens! I love roller coasters - but got the ride of my life on the Skeikra... it has a 90 degree drop - seriously - and it holds you over the edge for 5 seconds before dropping you. Of course, Kimmie made us ride on the front row! Because the park is owned by the Busch family, there is free beer! Which might be nice if I liked it, but I don't... we took pictures anyway. :) I don't have all the pictures from the park - so I will include more later...

PS - I did the slideshow in movie style as a tribute to Kimmie the theater teacher! Good luch with the play Kimmie!

The best 4 years of my life...

On December 27th, Ben and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary! I can't believe he has put up with me for that long... My sweet mom and dad got us a room at the amazing Intercontinental Hotal in Atlanta and kept Campbell for us. We went up Wednesday afternoon and went straight to Ikea - and bought our Anniversary gifts to each other... kitchen curtains, a storage unit for our bedroom, shelves for the bedroom, etc. I love that place - I could spend DAYS (and millions)there! We then went to dinner at an upscale mexican restaurant named Rosa Mexicana. (thanks for the suggestion Brian!) They have amazing margaritas and prepare guacamole tableside. Yum! The fist picture is the view from our room - it was beautiful (and much better than the Ritz) The second picture is from our first anniversary in NYC - time flies!

Wow - am I bad at this...

Please bare with me... since it has been a while, I have lost some of my blogging skills and forgot to put the slideshow on the Christmas post. Plus, most of my pictures are turning the wrong way, I can't figure out how to add captions to pictures, help!

Campbell's First Christmas

Christmas came and went in a blur - lots of traveling, and lots of toys! It was so fun to see Campbell open presents and experience Christmas for the first time. We went to a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party at my parents church on Christmas Eve and Campbelled loved it - but not as much as Daddy, Papa and Uncle Brian! :) As commercialized as Christmas is getting, I hope Campbell will always know Christmas as the birthday of our savior... plus, we are still trying to figure out this santa thing. I had santa growing up, Ben did not. Neither one of us want to lie to our daughter, or make Christmas about a man in a red suit and not Jesus birth - so what do we do? I would love any ideas or suggestions from you veteran parents as Ben and I start to establish our own Christmas traditions for our family.

Joy's Christmas Shower

One of my best friends, Joy Ogle, is getting married in March! We had a Christmas shower for her the second weekend in December, and she got tons of great stuff... I was very jealous! Congrats Joy!

*Side note: I failed to explain the random cake picture in the last post... I tried a new recipe (Pumpkin Spice Cake with homemade icing) for Thanksgiving and was really proud that it turned out okay - or maybe Ben was lying...