two amazing families

a quick post to encourage you to check out our friends' blog... dusty & kenzie stanfield are friends of ours from our sunday school class at second baptist - they have a son named deacon & kenzie gave birth to their 2nd son, maddox, yesterday... sadly, at 18 weeks in utero he was diagnosed with trisomy 18 & spina bifida - so they have known that his life would be brief , yet blessed. he lived only a minute or two but his story will touch your heart. you will be so encouraged to read kenzie's posts - the testimony that they have is amazing.

also, a sweet couple from our sunday school class at bear creek baptist, travis & jennifer black, discovered some earth-shattering news the night of dec. 15th... travis had a brain tumor the size of a fist at his brain stem. they successfully removed 100% of the tumor but his pathology report came back that it was malignant, grade 3. their journey of faith has inspired me and i know it will you, too...

please keep both of these sweet families in your prayers as their battles are ongoing. thanks friends. love you.

makenna's big trip!

my fearless 7 yr. old took her first trip on an airplane BY HERSELF! :) she has been talking about going to visit her aunt sisi (my sister, jessica) in dallas and we finally found the time to do it during our christmas (oh, sorry - WINTER) vacation :) she flew southwest and they did a wonderful job taking care of her and ensuring her safety. you have to fill out paperwork and show identification when taking them to the gate and picking them up. so i had no worries at all regarding her security... but when you see the plane take off, knowing that big piece of metal hurtling through the sky is holding your little baby... that's tough :( the flight is only 55 mins. long so she was landing in dallas before i even got home from dropping her off! pretty funny! she met new friends and had a wonderful time playing her nintendo DS and chatting away, i'm sure. :) it is just mind-boggling that my little baby is now so fiercely independent and self-assured. it seems like just yesterday i was obsessing about how many ounces she was eating and how many poopy diapers she was producing... i used to think that it would get "easier" once she was walking... "easier" once she was talking (wow, what was i thinking there...) and FOR SURE "easier" once she started school (HA!)... but it seems as though the things that were so significant and all-encompassing back then are barely even blips on the radar right now - replaced with bigger, deeper issues that involve character-building and spiritual growth! i just keep praying that God will continue to equip me, as He has over the past 8 years, to be the mom that both my girls need me to be... i continue to marvel at the fact that God has entrusted me with these two precious little girls - they are so awesome.

i pray for each of my sweet mommy friends out there - if you are having "one of those days", stop right now and give thanks for your precious babies - even if they are pulling on your pants leg and screaming right now :) - this time we have with them is sooo very short! i am becoming painfully more aware of that with every passing day... you know, sending kids off on airplanes and stuff like that :) love you guys!