With the warmth having finally crept back into air, life seems to have suddenly sprung into action overnight. The leaves have re-appeared, flowers bloomed, and the animals run to and fro as if they have suddenly been re-charged. Even our men-folk are having sudden bursts of energy, though I'm not sure it's necessarily for the good.
Yesterday, as I'm leaving my brother's office, I get a call from my bf Carla that our menfolk (Terry & Chuck) have decided to "break" a mule. For those of you not familiar with the term, that means they are going to attempt to ride a mule that has never been ridden before (or green). As it took a while for me to get out to Smithville, most of the excitement had passed by the time I finally pulled up in my little red Escape.
As Hila and I approached the round pen, we noticed Chuck fully astride an Appaloosa mule named Tully grinning from ear to ear and absolutely shoeless! Apparently his boots were too wide for the stirrups so he just shucked them and hopped on.
Tully couldn't quite figure out how he felt 'bout having my husband on his back, but one thing was apparent. My husband was grinning like a schoolboy, having the time of his life. After watching him stress for the past several months over the multitude of responsibilities that he shoulders, it was refreshing to see Chuck just taking a moment to enjoy life; to smile and laugh just for the pleasure of it.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
I cannot believe that tomorrow little Hila Fay, well not so little anymore at 14.5 lbs, will be 3 months old! It's been a wonderful, emotional, memorable, anxious three months...but three months that I would not trade for a lifetime of anything else! Hila's had her ups and downs, having been plagued with tummy troubles and doctor visits, but through it all she has been a trooper. She suffers through the moments of pain, but when it passes (literally, lol) her smile warms me to my toes.
It amazes me how much motherhood has changed me, and continues every second to evolve me into a whole other woman. God's amazing understanding and compassion is blatantly portrayed in the way He enables me to adapt from one rapid scenario to the next. He gives me enough pride to ensure that His artistic abilities are framed in adorable outfits and bows, but not enough to keep me from going to town with formula-splattered clothes and miss-matched shoes (on myself, not her of course!) when I run out of formula. He gives me patience and compassion when her belly hurts and only her father can comfort her, and a sense of humor when the projectile poo covers everything in sight (and some not in sight so that I spend three days washing everything in her nursery cuz I swear I can smell something funky!). But most abundantly He gave me the deepest, loudest, most addictive form of love that I never knew to exist. One look at her furrowed brow and she watches her toy sway to and fro, or the sound of her grunts as she tries to suck in the most amount of formula possible with each breath, can make my heart sing.
I wander at her imperfect perfection, how God knew just which characteristics to combine to make her my own. In three months she has turned me from a frantic, chaotic new mom to a slightly less frantic, chaotic infant mom; three months of tears, laughter, bliss and prayers. Three months that I would be content playing over and over like an old home movie. Three months of the closest to heaven that I will get as long as the good Lord leaves me here.
I anxiously look forward to three more months, and the three after that; all the while praying that God slows down the sands of time allowing each moment to last a lifetime of its own.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
I Am a Tree!
Recently a friend of mine has been going through a tough time. It seems as if around every bend she is faced with another obstacle. While chatting with her I was reminded of a verse that I had come across last year. Jeremiah 17:8
"He will be like a tree planted by the water:
it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn't fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought
or cease producing fruit."
(Holman Christian Standard Bible)
I can picture this tree, standing tall and proud by the crook of a flowing stream. All life around it is barren and stark as the unforgiving sun bears down; but this tree is not just surviving....it is thriving! The lush grass around it is cool to the touch and shaded by the olive leaves which stand in stark contrast to the glorious blossoms scattered impulsively throughout. Mist floats up from the stream and a slight rainbow connects the tree and water.
When it seems as if I cannot handle one more thing thrown my way, I think of this tree and am reminded of God's grace. I am grateful that I am that tree with its roots stretched out toward the life-giving water. I am thankful for God's promise of never giving us more than we can handle; though there have been times when I doubted that.
There have been moments when the weight seemed too much and it felt as if at any second I would come crushing down under it, but I have to remember that with that promise comes the assurance that we will be able to handle it...not because we are that strong, but rather because He is. He is the stream that gives us life, that keeps us blooming in the midst of the drought. He will carry the weight, but first we have to stretch our roots towards Him and give Him our burdens. We have to realize that we cannot handle it (or fix it) on our own, His promise is dependant on our ability to trust Him.
I wish I could say that when times get tough I always remember that promise of peace, but I don't. I know, though, that when I allow myself to become overwhelmed with the grief of the moment that is not His choice for me, but rather my own.
"He will be like a tree planted by the water:
it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn't fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought
or cease producing fruit."
(Holman Christian Standard Bible)
I can picture this tree, standing tall and proud by the crook of a flowing stream. All life around it is barren and stark as the unforgiving sun bears down; but this tree is not just surviving....it is thriving! The lush grass around it is cool to the touch and shaded by the olive leaves which stand in stark contrast to the glorious blossoms scattered impulsively throughout. Mist floats up from the stream and a slight rainbow connects the tree and water.
When it seems as if I cannot handle one more thing thrown my way, I think of this tree and am reminded of God's grace. I am grateful that I am that tree with its roots stretched out toward the life-giving water. I am thankful for God's promise of never giving us more than we can handle; though there have been times when I doubted that.
There have been moments when the weight seemed too much and it felt as if at any second I would come crushing down under it, but I have to remember that with that promise comes the assurance that we will be able to handle it...not because we are that strong, but rather because He is. He is the stream that gives us life, that keeps us blooming in the midst of the drought. He will carry the weight, but first we have to stretch our roots towards Him and give Him our burdens. We have to realize that we cannot handle it (or fix it) on our own, His promise is dependant on our ability to trust Him.
I wish I could say that when times get tough I always remember that promise of peace, but I don't. I know, though, that when I allow myself to become overwhelmed with the grief of the moment that is not His choice for me, but rather my own.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A Weekend to Remember
Chuck and I celebrated our fifth anniversary this past week. It seems crazy how quickly time has flown! It seems like just yesterday that I was sneaking quick peeks at him across the sanctuary, and now here we are five years later settled down and with a newborn.
We celebrated with a wonderful road-trip weekend. We had no plan when we left the house, just the desire to spend time together so we decided on a "wing-it" plan. Where-ever the desire pulled us we would go. We left the house Friday night and drove to the nearby town of Searcy where we spent the night. We got up the next morning and headed up towards the Ozark mountains.
By evening we had spotted close to twenty deer and were on the look out for elk (yes elk!). We drove down Hwy 65, eyes peeled, but saw no signs of anything other than cow and deer. After driving past the Buffalo River we decided to turn around and give it one more try. As we neared the bend where we had been told that elk had been seen before Chuck hollers out. Off, at the edge of a field on his side was an elk cow! We rounded the next corner with the intention of turning around when I spotted him. In a pasture to my right was an elk bull munching on the sage grass! Talk about us being excited! We stayed, watching him, for about thirty minutes or so. Never before had I seen one in the wild, it was majestic and beautiful.
Standards were pretty high after all that and we weren't sure if anything could top it. We had thought about staying in the nearby town of Clinton, but instead drove on up to Branson. We stayed in a Holiday Inn Express that was walking distance from both Shoney's and Walmart. We realized that no hotel in town could top that! Josh and Kati had turned us on to a wonderful steakhouse so we headed down the strip for our anniversary dinner.
In the morning the sun was shining and warm, we couldn't have asked for prettier weather! We stopped at an outlet mall so that Hila could get some shopping done then went for a hike on one of the trails at the state park.
Since most of the shows were closed, we decided to head back into Arkansas. We took the windiest, back-road that I have ever been on....and one of the most beautiful! With the trees bare one could catch a rare glimpse into the mountains themselves. Each bend of the road (and there were plenty!) seemed to hold another secret. This part of the world seemed to be forgotten by everyone else, as if the people had just up and walked away leaving everything behind. Old houses and barns tried to hold their pride as the vines crept their way up, trying to suffocate out their existence. Whole towns, that you could tell had once been prosperous, stood silent in their old-time glory.
The contrast between the modern world and yesterday was stark. We would come across some of the old houses and barns one moment, then look across the way and see a huge, hollywood-type mansion! Cows, kept in place with their electric fences, grazed around old, stone silos paying them no more mind than the trees or boulders around them. There was a certain peace in this part of the country, one that almost made me want to hold my breath. A slight sadness filled me as the mountains ironed back out into the flatlands. It felt, for a moment, as if I had entered another world.
Finally our mini-vacation had come about to an end. It's sad that these moments between Chuck and I don't get to happen more often, but we try and make the most of it. This weekend, in all its unplanned and chaotic glory, was one of the best. We drove in a crazy, crooked circle and took in sites that neither of us had seen before. But, best of all was the conversations. We talked and laughed like we hadn't done since those flirty, dating days. I was reminded of the little things that made me love him. Like the way that his eyes light up when he REALLY smiles, or the contagiousness of his laughter.
The best part of this weekend was that it showed me not just why I fell in love with him, but why I stayed that way.
We celebrated with a wonderful road-trip weekend. We had no plan when we left the house, just the desire to spend time together so we decided on a "wing-it" plan. Where-ever the desire pulled us we would go. We left the house Friday night and drove to the nearby town of Searcy where we spent the night. We got up the next morning and headed up towards the Ozark mountains.
By evening we had spotted close to twenty deer and were on the look out for elk (yes elk!). We drove down Hwy 65, eyes peeled, but saw no signs of anything other than cow and deer. After driving past the Buffalo River we decided to turn around and give it one more try. As we neared the bend where we had been told that elk had been seen before Chuck hollers out. Off, at the edge of a field on his side was an elk cow! We rounded the next corner with the intention of turning around when I spotted him. In a pasture to my right was an elk bull munching on the sage grass! Talk about us being excited! We stayed, watching him, for about thirty minutes or so. Never before had I seen one in the wild, it was majestic and beautiful.
Standards were pretty high after all that and we weren't sure if anything could top it. We had thought about staying in the nearby town of Clinton, but instead drove on up to Branson. We stayed in a Holiday Inn Express that was walking distance from both Shoney's and Walmart. We realized that no hotel in town could top that! Josh and Kati had turned us on to a wonderful steakhouse so we headed down the strip for our anniversary dinner.
In the morning the sun was shining and warm, we couldn't have asked for prettier weather! We stopped at an outlet mall so that Hila could get some shopping done then went for a hike on one of the trails at the state park.
Since most of the shows were closed, we decided to head back into Arkansas. We took the windiest, back-road that I have ever been on....and one of the most beautiful! With the trees bare one could catch a rare glimpse into the mountains themselves. Each bend of the road (and there were plenty!) seemed to hold another secret. This part of the world seemed to be forgotten by everyone else, as if the people had just up and walked away leaving everything behind. Old houses and barns tried to hold their pride as the vines crept their way up, trying to suffocate out their existence. Whole towns, that you could tell had once been prosperous, stood silent in their old-time glory.
The contrast between the modern world and yesterday was stark. We would come across some of the old houses and barns one moment, then look across the way and see a huge, hollywood-type mansion! Cows, kept in place with their electric fences, grazed around old, stone silos paying them no more mind than the trees or boulders around them. There was a certain peace in this part of the country, one that almost made me want to hold my breath. A slight sadness filled me as the mountains ironed back out into the flatlands. It felt, for a moment, as if I had entered another world.
Finally our mini-vacation had come about to an end. It's sad that these moments between Chuck and I don't get to happen more often, but we try and make the most of it. This weekend, in all its unplanned and chaotic glory, was one of the best. We drove in a crazy, crooked circle and took in sites that neither of us had seen before. But, best of all was the conversations. We talked and laughed like we hadn't done since those flirty, dating days. I was reminded of the little things that made me love him. Like the way that his eyes light up when he REALLY smiles, or the contagiousness of his laughter.
The best part of this weekend was that it showed me not just why I fell in love with him, but why I stayed that way.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Hila Fay's Pics
Happy Birthday Hila Fay Hixon!
Daddy's Tender Touch
Sleeping Beauty
Our Tiny Princess
Mel's Top 10 Favorite Things About Being a Mommy
10. Playing Dress-up
9. The little cooing noises she makes when feeding
8. How she fits perfectly in the crook of my arm
7. Watching her facial expressions as she sleeps
6. That warm feeling in the pit of my stomach that comes about every time I look at her
5. The way she lifts one leg for a little poot and both legs for the diaper vibrating kind
4. Watching other's facial expressions as they look at my baby
3. How cute she is, even when she's gum-bearing mad!
2. Watching her daddy hold her and love on her
1. The way that when she's upset and I pick her up, her cries stop instantly as her head lays on my shoulder
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Impending Arrival!
The decision has finally been made. Tomorrow I will be a mommy! That concept seems so foreign to me, but I reckon I better get used to it. Tonight I'll be moved over to the Labor and Delivery wing and in the morning they will break my water. The doc says it will be a bit of a slow go, but sometime after noon she'll make her debut. I'm not sure how much blogging I'll feel like doing tomorrow, but I'll post her beautiful pics as soon as I get a chance. Until, keep your prayers coming.
Hospital
It seems as if my 2% luck has caught up with me once again. After finding that my blood pressure was still high at yesterday's check-up the doctor has put me in the hospital until delivery. Right now we really don't know when that will be. The doctors should come in in a bit and let us know whether they plan to induce or to let me bake for a bit longer.
Until then, it's a waiting game. I suppose, that if I have to be in a hospital this is the best one to be in. They have me in a hall with other "bed-ridden" women. I've been told that we can get out of our beds, just not leave the rooms so the activity of the day is for the women to stand in their doorways and talk with each other. If I get bored of that, they have a room full of movies and two carts full of books. Wireless internet is provided in all the rooms, so I'll be able to leave minute-by-minute plays.
Until then, it's a waiting game. I suppose, that if I have to be in a hospital this is the best one to be in. They have me in a hall with other "bed-ridden" women. I've been told that we can get out of our beds, just not leave the rooms so the activity of the day is for the women to stand in their doorways and talk with each other. If I get bored of that, they have a room full of movies and two carts full of books. Wireless internet is provided in all the rooms, so I'll be able to leave minute-by-minute plays.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Baby Shower
I can't believe how the time has flown. It seems like mere moments ago that I was running into the bedroom at 3:30 in the morning asking Chuck if I had read the test right (yes, 3:30...don't ask) now I'm 36 weeks along and sitting at home surrounded by a vast amount of presents bought in love for little Hila Fay (although if she keeps growing at her rate of a pound a week she won't be little for long!).
The afternoon went absolutely splendidly! The ladies from our church, Fair Oaks Baptist, and several from Pine Tree Baptist got together to host the event. The fellowship hall was immersed in pinks, greens, and camo's and the cake, punch, and finger foods looked as if they came from a perfect party poster. Around thirty women, girls, and tots gathered round to laugh, ohhhhh and awwww over the precious presents. Chuck and I couldn't be more tickled with the end result than we are. We were blessed with blankets (both store bought and home-made) and onsies, diapers and wipes, and tons and tons of pink outfits. I'm pretty sure it's going to take me nigh on a year and a half to put away everything.
The afternoon went absolutely splendidly! The ladies from our church, Fair Oaks Baptist, and several from Pine Tree Baptist got together to host the event. The fellowship hall was immersed in pinks, greens, and camo's and the cake, punch, and finger foods looked as if they came from a perfect party poster. Around thirty women, girls, and tots gathered round to laugh, ohhhhh and awwww over the precious presents. Chuck and I couldn't be more tickled with the end result than we are. We were blessed with blankets (both store bought and home-made) and onsies, diapers and wipes, and tons and tons of pink outfits. I'm pretty sure it's going to take me nigh on a year and a half to put away everything.
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