I can't believe I'm having to post another entry like this one. I just heard the news that my cousin Tom and his wife, Joy lost their sweet baby girl on October 26th. She was one day old. My heart aches for them. Please keep them in your prayers. I can only imagine their pain.



Jana Lilia Stewart
Oct 25, 2008 - Oct 26, 2008

Baby Jake

This is a video of Jake when he was nine months old and we were visiting Washington. My friend just recently sent this to me and it made me laugh.

My kids love to read. And they love new furniture.

Baby Kit

I recently ordered the Baby Kit for scrapbooking from the one and only Becky Higgins. I thought it would be helpful in getting myself caught up with all my baby albums (I have three and none are complete) and I was right. I ripped open the box spread out all the awesome "stuff" and completed Jordan's album in one night. It's awesome that all I have to do now to finish the boys' albums is flip over the pink stuff, the blue is on the back! Here's one of the pages I did last night. These are my only pregnancy pictures with Jordan. Kinda sad that you can barely see my belly in either pic.

Pumpkin-y

Today I decorated pumpkins. I'm not one for carving, don't like to touch the guts. But I do love pumpkins all over the place in the fall. So I make them pretty instead.

Story Time

Another Year Older

I'm 31.

For my birthday I received a digital photo frame and some king crab legs. Guess which is my favorite? Darrin gave each kid a bag to give to me. Jordan gave me the frame, Joshy gave me the memory chip for it and Jake gave me the crab legs. When Darrin gave him the bag, Jake said, "crab feet?" Darrin assured him that it was my favorite so when he gave me the bag he said, "is crab feet your favorite?"

YES!

So is ice cream cake.

Child Labor

My babies get the job done. Where once my trash cans sat at the end of the drive for DAYS, now they get hauled up on time.

New Design

As you can see, I've completely redesigned my blog to make it more blogalicious. I hope it doesn't freak anyone out. I know some of you fear change. But I had to do it in order to incorporate my nifty banner at the top. Aren't we precious? Anyway, everything is still here, just kind of flipped over on the other side. And here'some eye candy for those who only come for the pictures...

On our way to Costco!

Vote!

I am hoping that everyone will head over to the fabulous peekaboo picks website and participate in their online presidential poll! It's a fun anonymous poll to see who's getting the votes for prez. You can also check out my article if you want :)

Hello My Love.

We got a Target. If you need me, I'll be rolling around on the shiney new linoleum floor somewhere near the scrapbook section.



Quickly running out of room for kids in this cart...


No problem.

Speedy!

Today I ran in my fifth race. This was a 5k which is equal to 3.2 miles. Even with a minimum of training this summer (and by minimum I mean I ran three times all summer) and only a week of daily training last week and then a week off, I managed to race well and break my personal record. Today I ran the race in 28 minutes and 5 seconds. This is not a good time by any means but it's the fastest I've ever run it. Darrin thinks I could easily break 26 minutes if I would just BELIEVE! I don't. So I guess that's the problem.

Ready to run. Not really. I tried to back out of this race because of the SNOW! But I couldn't get ahold of Darrin so I had to show up.


Off the starting line. Look! I'm floating!


3.2 miles later...I'm crossing the finishing line at 28.05!


Heading down the chute to get recorded.


Very excited to have a new personal best.


My trophy. I got first place in my age division. I should qualify that statement by mentioning that I was the ONLY PERSON IN MY AGE GROUP. So I still would have won first place even if I'd walked.

Birthday Party Time

I'm finally getting around to uploading the pictures of the boys' birthday party this past Saturday. It turned out really well in spite of the lack of planning and other things going on during the week prior. The R2D2 cake was a big hit and tasted quite yummy.

Light saber battles and blow up playgrounds abounded. Later in the afternoon the boys all starting stripping off their shirts. It was funny and weird. Not sure why they did that.



Joshy likes to eat.


Joshy likes to bounce like a gangster.


Pizza is here! And more friends!


Inside the bouncy tunnel. The static does wonders for Jordy's hair.


Joshy's getting the hang of this present opening thing.


Jake is an old pro.


Jake loved his party!


Jordy had fun too.

Ugh.

ARE.YOU.KIDDING.ME.

Right now, the memorial service for baby Abigayl is preparing to start in Oklahoma. Her mommy and her grandma (Darrin's sister and mom) are both going to share a eulogy. Grandma sent me her words and is allowing me to share them here.

"In Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 5, God says "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." There is a strong message here for all of us who knew and loved Abigayl. Her life was too short for those of us who are left behind, but God had a purpose for Abiʼs life before she was even formed. A small part of that purpose was fulfilled in the time that we had her. She brought us joy and love and laughter. Itʼs very difficult at this moment to understand why she was taken from us, but as the sorrow fades and is replaced by the power of the love we hold for her, we will discover strength that we would never have known we had.

If you are without faith of salvation through Christ, then Abigaylʼs journey ended with her last breath. I believe her worldly purpose doesnʼt have to end just because sheʼs not physically with us. Abigayl was a gift. Rusty and Raychel were chosen by God to receive her, and they shared her with all of us. We all had wonderful and exciting ideas of who she was and what she meant to our lives. We were excited by the possibilities of what she might become.

Through faith in Godʼs word, you know that she became exactly what God formed her to be. She all too quickly became our angel, and she took her place in the arms of Jesus. She doesnʼt know sorrow, but she knows hope. She now has ideas and hope for what she wants each of us to become through knowing her. If you trust Godʼs word, this isnʼt the end of our time with Abigayl.

This is only the beginning. She gives all of us something to strive for in this lifetime. We can live each day with faith that we will be with her again. We can spread the joy and beauty she brought to us just by giving to others the compassion and kindness that we have shared since she left us.

Abigayl was a light that was too bright for this world. Let her light be your beacon to lead you from this life into the next. It is in that life that you will find her, with that beautiful smile lighting up her face, because when you join her there, your presence will fulfill the purpose for which she was set apart. Your presence will become the greatest gift you could ever give her."

We love you, sweet baby.

May The Force Be With You!

The boys are having their birthday party tomorrow and we are doing a Star Wars theme. These are our invitations...


And this is how I created the most tremendous mess in my kitchen to date. There is frosting everywhere.

Before:


During:


After: I let Jake look at it and I asked him what it was. He said "R2D2!" And that's victory folks!

I asked Joshy to please throw his diaper in the trash. Nice try, Buddy.

Sadness

I ask that you please lift up Darrin's sister and her husband in prayer. Raychel and Rusty tragically lost their sweet baby girl yesterday (Tuesday). She was four months old. This is the link to their blog.



Abigayl Marie Stamper