Some Overdue Birthday Pics

A few weeks ago we got together with a few of our friends to celebrate my birthday and Casey's graduation. We partied at one of our favorite little spots...The Stone Cellar.

To set the mood...some live music...The Preacher and the Blind Man. They were AWESOME! Totally made the night!

(L-R) Jessica, Beth (Fall apartment tenant), Erica (Former apartment tenant- she left about a week ago and I still cry about it sometimes! I miss you E!), Betty Rose, and Debbie

The kiddos and I had a ball! Braelyn (and Mr. Joshua there) literally danced all night long!

Jess, me and Erin

Me and Brandi

Reed and Case

Me with the love of my life!

(Sarah...there's a really cute picture of you and me, but I look pregnant so I didn't post it. I have no tolerance for looking pregnant unless I AM pregnant! :)

It was such a great night. With a celebration like that, I happily embraced 29.

I also had a fabulous birthday celebration with my family this past weekend, but I neglected to take any pictures. Thank you...for loving us so well.

Thanks everybody! We love you!

Sweet Somethings

Before Braelyn and I left for the Lake House last week, a little something came in the mail for me. A prize! My sweet friend Ashley celebrated her 500th blog post with a drawing...and I was the lucky winner!

Lucky indeed! I loved my prize so much, I thought I'd share.

This super cute teapot, cup and spoon rest (is that what that's called?) and some tea, of course. Plus a magazine to enjoy while sipping my tea.
Don't you just love it!?

It was such a pleasant surprise. Thanks so much Ashley!!! You have such a great blog. I can't wait to keep reading through the next 500! Keep 'em coming!

While I'm here I thought I'd show you little something Braelyn and I did today. We looked around the park and our own front yard and picked some flowers and leaves that we thought were pretty or interesting. Then we carefully arranged them on a circle cut out of contact paper. We just put another contact paper circle on top...and now we've got a little nature window.This was super fun, cheap and easy! My kinda craft! It was the perfect day for a nature craft...the weather just doesn't get any more beautiful than this!

Hope you're out enjoying it!

And thanks everyone for all my birthday wishes!

At The Lake...Year Two

For two years now, we Ceases have spent some time at our favorite little Lake House Retreat Center before the craziness of summer begins. And for two years now, we have endured some sort of catastrophe. Last year, it was this.

This year...a much sadder story. The first night we were there we went to Olive Garden for dinner. After our salad, Braelyn and I went to powder our noses. We washed our hands, her first and then me. As I was drying my hands, Braelyn stepped in front of the door. I always tell her to move away from the door...always!...but I literally was throwing away my paper towel when someone opened the door.

Sure enough, the door opened right on her and she immediately ran to me. I figured she was more embarrassed than anything, cause she wasn't really crying, but she just wouldn't shake it. Suddenly, I look down and see a little blood coming out of her big toe nail. I put her up on the counter, and Lord help me, the whole darn thing was ripped off...hanging on by threads.

And the inconsolable crying began...

I went to our table, showed Casey the damage and said I'd meet him in the car. By the time he boxed up our food and paid and made it to the car, she had calmed down and really has been a trooper about it ever since, minus the attempt to put a band-aid on it (she has a thing about band-aids...hates 'em).

Anyways...I shamelessly got a few pics of the injury. (I know...what kind of mother am I?) Caution! These are a little graphic!

In the car...a few minutes after the incident. (She had stopped crying, I promise!)

So today...4 days or so after the incident, the little guy is still holding on...barely...go ahead...click on that picture to get a better look. You know you want to.See that folks...justa flappin' in the wind. Gross! I know it wouldn't hurt to pull it off, but she won't let me touch it. I'm hoping it doesn't make it through the night.

But really...she's been great about it. She has gotten much more hysterical about her mosquito bites. I swear, these mosquitoes will be the death of me!

But back to the Lake House retreat. The rest of our stay was wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable. Before we went home, we took Braelyn to the little Children's Museum at the Woodlands Mall, which was super fun once the swarm of elementary school kids left.

Here's a few pics to take your mind off the previous two.

So here she's at a sand table. And guess what? There's a ton of sand on the ground. And guess what else? My daughter with the flapping toe nail and exposed flesh is barefoot. Awesome. She is so lucky to have such brilliant parents. Oh and she's wearing the museum's dress up clothes, btw.
Ah...there she is! Mom of the year!

So...Guess What?

It's my birthday today. Yeah...That's right.
27, baby!

And guess what else? It's TINA FEY'S birthday today too!
That makes me feel like this!

Ha! I'm sucha ham!...just like Tina.

We're pretty much like best friends now (despite the fact that I am significantly younger than her, but who's counting? But if you are counting, she's 39 and I'm 29, I MEAN 27...YES, 27.)

I have a ton to blog about, so hopefully I'll be back later...I was just havin' a little photo booth birthday fun while eating lunch.

Have a good day, folks!

Joy...Regardless

So here's a subject I haven't talked about in a while...getting pregnant. Or rather, not getting pregnant.

Sometime in March or early April, Casey and I went to our official "we've been trying for a year with no success" doctors appointment. Having not been overly impressed with the doctor I had been seeing in College Station, I returned to my trusty Sugar Land OB for this important appointment. I filled her in on the past year and a half and immediately a new little section was created in my file...an infertility section. After we met with her, the process officially began and they took about 15 vials of blood. A few days later, I got a call that there were no problems there. This was good news, but at the same time a little annoying because the mystery of non-conception continued.

The next step was my HSG, the little dye test that identifies any blockage in your fallopian tubes. I had this little procedure about two weeks ago and at first glance everything looked clear. Sure enough, I got the call today...no problems there. Again...good, but a little annoying.

When I was on the phone with the nurse today, I must have asked her 20 different ways if there were any more steps between this and medication. She informed me, 20 different ways, that Clomid was my next available option. UGH! I don't think I'm ready for that yet. It's not that I'm against it or anything, I'm sure we will utilize that option at some point, but I'd like to save that as my last resort, I guess, and I'm not there yet.

Casey has also submitted himself to necessary testing, but we do not have results on that yet. We should find out soon.

So that's where we are. Most days I'm content and grateful. I have been given so much already. I have a beautiful family and in no way does it feel incomplete. But, at the same time I feel like there's room for more in our home and in our hearts, and so I do feel sad when the little home pregnancy test tells me, "Not this month." It's more frustrating than anything, I guess...mostly because this is one situation in which you really have no control whatsoever. The waiting is also very frustrating. So much waiting. Waiting for those little starred dates on the calendar (primetime, as we call it.) Waiting to see two lines or one. And then..waiting to start all over again. It's an exercise in patience, I'll tell you that!

Anyways, just wanted to give a little update on this.
We will continue to try. We will continue to pray.
I believe that there will be more children in our home...so we will wait on God...to bring them how He sees fit. In the mean time, our faith is being tested, which produces steadfastness, according to the Word of God (James 1:3), and so I (and my dear friends who share in this trial) can rejoice and be thankful for that as well. Whether He is creating a new life inside our bodies or testing and strengthening our faith, He is at Work and we will know Him more regardless. He is good, regardless. We will love Him, regardless.

Good Night.

A Word About Casey...

Hello, old friends! It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry 'bout that. It's been kinda crazy around here, but this week should be good; I think I'll have some time to catch up.

A couple things I've been wanting to write about, but tonight there's just time enough to talk about...my sweet husband.

Casey graduated seminary on Saturday! Yea! I am so proud of him. I'm proud of him for working so hard and pushing through 6 years of classes and papers and projects. I know that it was so tiresome for him at times (and me too, honestly) but I can see a difference in him and in his ministry. He knows the Word. He speaks with wisdom and authority. And it is not calloused knowledge, but love-soaked Truth. It was worth it...and it will be worth it again, if/when he decides to go back. ;)

But it's not just because we have a new piece of paper to hang on the wall that I feel so proud of him. I feel proud of him for the man he has become. Several weeks ago, the Lord really opened my eyes and allowed me to see not just Casey, who I've known for 13 years and wake up to every morning, but a man that God is using, a man that God is blessing with wisdom, a man that has been entrusted with the Word of God and has been given the courage and faith to share it.

It happened the weekend I traveled with him to a D'Now and it was the first time I had been to an event in quite a while. The theme was The Naked Truth...Casey spoke on Biblical masculinity, femininity and issues regarding sexuality and purity. That weekend I saw my husband empower boys to be men. I saw my husband give young girls a vision for a husband that is worth waiting for. I saw my husband invite these students to a purposeful, intentional, God-centered life where much is expected of them, yes, even as teenagers!, but where the pleasure is anything but empty or fleeting. I saw the Lord use Casey to breathe life into these students.

That weekend the wind was knocked out of me. What grace has been given to me! How foolish I am for taking it for granted! I could not stop thanking God for my husband. He didn't just give me a husband that has crafty words, but He gave me a man who daily strives to obey Christ in the way he leads his family. He does. He is not perfect. He makes mistakes, but it is the great pleasure of my life to serve and follow Christ under his leadership. I am so humbled by God's generosity to me.

I've always known that I was married to a wonderful man, but like I said, I was sort of taking that for granted, but thankfully God reminded me of His kindness to me and I've been dying to share this ever since.

To you, Casey...
You are a blessing to me and to Braelyn.
I respect you more and more everyday.
Congratulations on graduating!
I love you.