Fall is here!

Fall is here, from pumpkin patches to trick or treat!

Brynne was tweety bird for halloween, but I had to at least try my old halloween costume on her! The bunny ears crack me up! Nemo made this back in the day.




Check out the tweety tail..it's the best part!





Beau and I took Brynne to the Frisco Fun Run. We bundled her up good..it was cold! Brynne liked to laugh at Daddy..who we almost had to carry off in a stretcher. "Fun and Run should not be in the same sentence." - Beau Schmidt :o)



Helping mom out with laundry





I met some friends from growing up in Baltimore for the weekend and we had a blast. We went to NYC for the day, and here we are in Central Park.

Celebrate Good Times

Mom's surgery went very well! The surgeon reported that he was able to get all of the visible tumor out, and they sent it off to a research lab to test it against different chemos to find one that will work for mom specifically. So the next step would be one more round of chemo once they find an effective type. Brynne and I got to go to Houston to surprise her, and we had a great time visiting her in the hospital.
After the dr. came out of surgery to report it went great, dad and I slipped down to get some lunch. On our way, we saw this amazing statue of Jesus standing with His hand on a woman knelt before Him, with the following scripture below it:
Matthew 14:14 - "He had compassion on them, and they were healed." We both stopped in our tracks, and gave praise with tears in our eyes. He is too good. Mom got not just a second, but a fourth chance. May we never forget that or take His grace for granted.
The following weekend, Brynne and I headed to Corpus to visit Amy - a trip we have had planned for forever! Brynne got to experience the beach for the first time...and loved it!

Introduction to the Ocean


I Love it!


What is this stuff?


Yuck! Tastes a little gritty. Sometimes I'm too fast for mommy, but not for my own good!


Brynne & AnnMarie


Enjoying the View...the Bathing Beauty that I am!


Amy introduced me to the deeper waters!


I'm a fan!

Walk for the Whisper

This morning was Walk for the Whisper in Grapevine. Brynne and I really enjoyed it, and a few friends came out to jog the 5K with us. Donations will continue to be taken for awhile to support research for ovarian cancer. It was so great to see so many proactive people - trying to help find a cure, staying up with the research, and most important, praying for their family members!
Big thanks to Steve for pushing the jogging stroller for me!




You gotta laugh at this guy in his blue tights!! These are the faithful runners!


Brynne was pooped! It's hard work riding in that stroller and checking out all the action!

Running for the Whisper

In support of my mom and in hope of finding a cure for ovarian cancer, I'm running the Walk for the Whisper this weekend. You can click the link to donate for a cure. Pictures to follow!

God's Love

Check This out!

"I Am the way..." - John 14:6

Come On Aggies!!

Maybe it's because we haven't gotten our Aggie gear on yet...so today we decided to pull it out. Ha! Don't get my husband started on the coaching strategy!
Aggies - can you really look into this little girl's eyes and let her down again? Maybe manipulation will work.




OK mom - I've had enough of this!

Justin Wakeland Highschool

Daddy's school was on the news this morning! Go Wolverines!

Bold Faith

God is faithful! So many have been praying boldly for mom to get surgery, and the doctors approved her yesterday to have surgery October 3rd! He is powerful and wants us to BELIEVE when we pray, and to pray BOLDLY!! Forgive us for all the times we pray without faith or don't believe in Your power. We were beginning to give up...but He hadn't!
Thanks God!
"..yet because of the man's boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you..."

Go Wolverines!

Daddy is in football season now - so we dress up in our orange and navy on fridays and head to the games! The kids you see below are all a few weeks apart. 3 of us coaches' wives sat together at the games last year, all about to "pop," talking about how different it would be this year when we all had little kiddos! Here we are....and yes, it's crazy!!!



This is Brynne with her uncle Brad at the game. Uncle Brad and Aunt Emily are bringing Brynne a cousin into the world!! (ETA - 3/31/08)



Go Wakeland Wolverines!! Go Daddy!




Brynne turned 9 months on friday! How come pregnancy seems forever, yet it seems not long ago at all that she was born? She is SO fun right now...every day I say is my favorite day so far.

Fun with friends

All the girls strike a pose!
This last weekend was my friend Tonya's bachelorette party in Austin. There are 8 of us girlfriends who became very close after spending all day together for 3 years in graduate school. Tonya and 2 of the girls went sky diving, while the rest of us kept our feet firmly planted on the ground!

Mom and Loving It

Please visit Mom and Loving it Ministries!
They are coming to our church October 13th, and the more moms that attend the better! If you go to a church in the Frisco area, spread the word and let us know if you want to buy tickets. The have traveled all over speaking and they have a great book..check them out!

Update

Thanks so much for the encouragement and prayers friends! Before I update, I'd like you to offer a word of encouragement to a girl in need. You can read her story at:
http://mommydotcom.blogspot.com/

Mom was waiting for a PET scan result, which actually came out the way the surgeon wanted it to, but she still denied her surgery. Now mom is searching for new options - please pray for her guidance with that.
In the meantime, Brynne had a blast with her grandma 2 weekends ago, and a blast with the Allen family this last weekend. Happy Grandparents Day!

Brynne with her Nemo


Brynne with her Nemo & Pops




Beau & Ann Marie



On a side and more serious note, there is a fabulous mission group Living Proof Ministries is encouraging support for called Mission Feeding...check it out!

Can I get a Prayer Warrior?

Most of you know my precious mom, or "Nemo" as Brynne knows her, has been battling with ovarian cancer for almost 4 years. She is presently in her fourth round of chemo. The results of the CAT scan came back last week to say the chemo isn't working. Mom needs prayers for the following:
1. Surgery! A good surgeon to go in there and take out the present tumor
2. Wisdom! What to do next
3. Strength and Energy!
4. Cooperation from her job
I'm enlisting a "few good men." Now - I get e-mails and phone calls every week from family and friends commenting on Brynne's pics on the blog. Yet no one leaves comments on the blog. Now I'm asking for a few comments promising to pray for mom for her encouragement. Whether you're a fellow blogger or not, it's so easy to sign in. Thanks guys.
"...the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." - James 5:16
"Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, 'Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.'" - Luke 8:50

Motherhood

"Love in the Home"

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
But have not love, I am a housekeeper - not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
But have not love, my children learn cleanliness, not godliness.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through the trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child,
Then stands aside to let youth walk into adulthood.
Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.
Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.
As a mother, there is much I must teach my child,
But the greatest of all is love.
- Author unknown

Quoted in Mother and Loving It, by Sharon Autry, from In His Service website
(www.inhis.com. This poem says enough on its own...I love it!

8 Months Old

I can hardly believe it! It feels like Brynne was born just a few months ago...but 8!! She's growing much faster than we'd like, that's for sure. She's crawling all over the place, pulling up on everything, and giving lots of kisses.

Brynne Crawling and kissing the camera



Brynne Pulling to Standing



Smile!

New hairdo

Bathtime is so fun with Brynne! Mom has been experiementing with her hairstyling techniques

On a side note - for those of you with children...
The best thing we have done so far is take a class by kingdom parenting ministries. Words can't describe how different the children are whose parents "parent" with these Biblical techniques. We have several friends whose 2 years olds are amazing examples to us. We highly recommend it!
You can check it out at: www.kingdomparenting.org

Brynne waking up from a nap. You can tell we no longer worry about SIDS...and worry alot more about keeping her entertained so we can sleep a bit longer.
(Click play twice)



Self-made Family Portrait

What a Week!

Of all weeks for the camera to break....it was not this one! Two days ago, Brynne crawled from one side of the living room to the other, and hasn't stopped since!!! None of this do we have on camera!!! Our sweet neighbor did let us borrow her camera last week after Brynne's first experience with the "Biter Biscuit." Hopefully it will be fixed soon!

Brynne's Photo Shoot

Brynne had a photo shoot today. Just wanted to share a few of the 86 pictures...












Hope her smile makes you smile!!