Wednesday, February 29, 2012

My Bragging Rights (And A 'Joe Update)

First of all ... Thank you all for your prayers for G I Joe (click here to read about the explosion he was involved in).  After traveling half-way around the world and making a couple of lay-overs along the way, we are thankful to say that he is stateside now!  Numerous surgeries on his leg and his shattered jaw ... but *hopefully* and *prayerfully* yesterday was the last of him meeting the OR ... we pray that it was the last.  Although unsure of the length of rehab, we pray that he will be able to come home soon.  This past Sunday was a momentous day ... Lucy saw her Daddy for the first time in months & Tag met his Daddy for the first time. Oh how thankful we all are the God spared 'Joe's life. 

Well, now Granny can brag a bit more ... on my grands :)  A picture's worth a thousand words ... well, here's a few thousand words ...


Lucy loves getting Tag to sleep
Waiting to see Daddy for the 1st time since the accident
Lucy loves going to G-G & Grandpa's
Tag loves sleeping
Lucy holding her little brother for the 1st time


Yes ... Granny & Grandad are hopeless ... we're lost in our grands ... and will never be the same.

Friday, February 24, 2012

The Wonders of Prayer

Oh what a week this has been ... the Monday morning phone call that our daughter's soldier had been in what the military calls "an accident".  We civilians would call it an "explosion" ... not a rock, not a grenade,
but a mortar attack.
  Click here for my previous post & link to Mrs. 'Joe's blog  

The explosion was on Monday ... February 20 ... 'Joe's birthday.


Praising God that "it could have been worse" ... shrapnel wounds, broken jaw, deep leg wounds, banged up ... but to a young Mommy of a 3 yr old & a newborn (Tag was beginning his 11th day in our world when the phone occurred), this is still devastating to digest.
Yes she's thankful that "it could have been worse" ... but it's still bad. 
And until she can see him ...
well, please go back & check out my link to my previous post.

After a tremendously long week of numerous phone calls, text messages, emails, private messages, etc ... we made it to Friday.  Through God's grace & all the prayers lifted up ... they will continue to walk the path that God has laid out for them.

We are awaiting word as to when 'Joe will be arriving stateside.  There's still numerous unknowns that they will face in the future.  But with God's unending grace ... and the prayers of family & friends ...
we made it to Friday.

So, a special "THANK YOU" to those of you who have prayed, who have encouraged our beautiful daughter, who have encouraged me.  Please continue to pray as we (their family) walks alongside of them to lift their arms through this next chapter of their lives. 

Below is a song in which I put this caption on my Facebook page this morning along with this video:

For the first time this week, God put a song on my heart & in my head ... No better song than "He Will Carry Me" and not better artist than Mark Schultz. And no better promise than to know that He indeed does carry us through our trials & challenges in life.




Thank you once again for lifting up our soldier, our daughter & our grandchildren. 
 May God continue to bless you & your families.

Monday, February 20, 2012

The 'Joe's ... A Special Link

This is just a quick little post with a link to my daughter's blog and a prayer request. This morning she received a phone call ... it was a phone call that military spouses dread hearing, but thankful to God that it "could have been worse".  My daughter is by far one of the strongest, bravest & stedfast people I have ever known in my life.  I am so grateful God chose her Daddy & me to be her parents.


I will go on to say this about our military families who hold down the home-front:

PLEASE reach out to them.  It's not easy on them to send their loved ones into the unknown and 
not see them face to face nor be able to talk with them everyday.
PLEASE remember that they have feelings, they have needs, and they may need someone just to lean on and listen to them. 
PLEASE uplift them and show them how much they are appreciated for the sacrifices they are making for our country -- just as much as their loved one makes the sacrifices.

Most importantly ... 
it's about THEM ... 
it's not about you or me.


Here's the account of Mrs. G. I. Joe's phone call from this morning.  Even our princess Lucy has felt the effects of today.  Military kids serve our country just as their parents do ...
 please say a prayer for them tonight.

ACU's, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus: "Your husband was in an accident..."

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Celebrating "Mommy"

(This post was originally written Monday, February 13 in honor of our beautiful daughter's birthday. However due to technical difficulties of which I cannot repair on my own, it is a bit late but still in celebration of Lucy & Tag's Mommy.  So, a big shout-out to Mommy for fixing Granny's html malfunctions ... one of these days Granny will learn how to fix it on her own.  However html or not, Grandad & I are truly blessed with our daughter & her family.)



What a wonderful week this has been!  Blessing upon blessing upon blessing ... isn't God just so good that way? He doesn't just give a tiny bit ... He's not selfish ... He is bountiful! 

I've introduced you to the newest member of our family -- Thomas Alexander "Tag" ... born Thursday morning February 9, 2012 at 6:03am after his Mommy was escorted to the hospital by his Grandad (his namesake -- well, Grandad's middle name is Thomas). They got settled in at the hospital at 3:30am ... yeah, only 2 1/2 hours in "hard labor"! Yet, Tag had given his Mommy contractions since she was 4 months into this pregnancy ... and then daily contractions for the past couple of months. When this little guy decided it was "time" ... he didn't wait around at all!  He wanted to make his grand appearance as "grand" as he could -- and he succeeded.

Well, yesterday we celebrated Lucy and Tag's Mommy ... yes, I remember every detail of that morning when I went into labor on Thursday February 13th.  I was at one hospital and my Granny was at another hospital across town ... a major snowstorm had hit our area with anywhere from 12 to 15 inches on the ground ... yet many of my family gathered at the hospitals to be with either my Granny or me and to support both of us and to welcome the newest member to our family.

And as we celebrated Mrs. Joe's day ... we count it a miracle that God gave her to us. When the doctors said there was basically no chance of us having a child ... God had other plans.  Her Daddy and I are so proud of the young woman she's become by following God's will for her life. She's a military spouse, a Mommy to 2 of the most awesome children in the universe, our daughter ... but most importantly -- she's God's child.  If you get a chance, stop by her blog at ACU's, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus to meet her.  G.I. Joe is a blessed man to have her by his side ... Lucy & Tag are blessed to call this young woman "Mommy" ... and we are blessed that God allowed us to be her earthly parents.  So ---

Happy Birthday to our beautiful daughter ...
Mrs. G. I. Joe'

~We love you & are very proud of you ~






Thursday, February 9, 2012

Introducing ..........

Drum roll please 



After a 2 1/2 hour labor    ...........................................................


And the past 5 months of daily contractions  ..............................................




Arriving at 38 weeks (didn't think he would stay-put this long) .............




Lucy's little brother has arrived!!!!!!!!!!



Weighing in at
7 lbs and close to 2 oz  ...................................
20 1/2 inches long ........................................





Made his entrance at 6:03 this morning ...............................




We are proud to introduce you to .................................




Thomas Alexander (Tag)



PRICELESS  .........

SPEECHLESS .........


God is good!!!!!

 

Monday, February 6, 2012

Will He ...? (Ever Come?????)

Will Little Disney Boy look like his big sister?  
Will he reach for his Mommy to shelter & protect him?  
Will his toes tickle when we play with him? 
Will he hear our voices and know he's safe in this big giant world?
Will he open his eyes to look at his Grandad as his big sister did when she was a day old?  
Will he snuggle with his Granny and fall asleep on her shoulder as his big sister did? 
Will he be ready to meet his Daddy?
Will his eyes be brown ... blue ... green ... hazel ... gray?
Will his hair be blonde ... brown ... black ... red?  

So many questions this Granny has --- only one little baby boy can answer them.
So many waiting to meet his arrival --- only one little baby boy has his own timing.

All of us are ready to meet you, Little Disney Boy.  
You're pretty much stuck with us now.  
Today would be an excellent day to welcome you to our little corner of the world.
We're waiting ... 
and waiting ... 
and waiting ...

Here's a little glimpse at your big sister Lucy & your Grandad putting your bassinet together, Little Boy.  You're going to have so much fun with these two people ~~~ so, it's all your timing now (well, yes, of course God's timing:) ...


Hoping my next post will be to announce the arrival of our little grandson.  
Yes, Granny's so excited!!!!! 

So come on, Little Disney Boy ...
Granny can't wait much longer!!!