Happy THANKSGIVING!

I have more on this Thanksgiving to be thankful for than any other before...another baby ANOTHER BLESSING!
Happy THANKSGIVING! :)
Zach's 1st bath!

Zach is here!

Zachary Daniel was born at 1:01pm on 11/11 (look at all the 1's!) 8lbs 9oz. 20 1/2 inches.

He is so precious! Labor and delivery went well! And everyone is doing great! We have just been eating him up and have really enjoyed these 1st few days getting to know our son. Makenzie is in LOVE with him! As are his Mommy and Daddy! Maki is being such a helper! Enjoy all the pics...
Yes, he is that gorgeous!

Hmmmm...

Big sis holding Zach! Of course with a silly smile!

Big Sister Makenzie! :)

Daddy pushing Zach to the nursery.

Proud Mommy! :)

Maki meeting Zachy!

I love this pic!

My boys!

Perspective!

Perspective is Gary's motto. And I have to say that for the 1st couple years of marriage it used to drive me CRAZY! I can now say I am on board with the "perspective" thing. I am reading a book right now by Elizabeth George called A Mom After God's Own Heart. Elizabeth George is one of my favorite authors and I was reminded of that as soon as I picked up this book. The irony that she is one of my favorite authors is really quit comical to me, her husband Jim George was on staff at Master's College. It just goes to show once again that God has such a sense of humor! But that is another post entirely! lol! She has a way with words and her books ALWAYS speak to me! She has 2 other books that I love, A Woman After God's Own Heart and A Wife After God's Own Heart. Both books transformed me and my marriage! The 1st couple years I would say that for me, the theme of my marriage was "its all about me!". Marriage has been and now parenthood is as well, the biggest magnifying glass in my life! They both have shown me the good, the bad, and the ugly in my life. But after I read her book my heart was changed and Gary said he saw a difference immediately! I hope I am still on the right path...after almost 8 years of marriage I hope so! :) So now that I am reading A Mom After God's Own Heart. My heart is transformed again...I hope my children will notice it! She doesn't say anything that I haven't heard before, but she puts God's Word in to such perspective and has a unique way of inspiring! The last few weeks have been a bit rough being so pregnant...but it is interesting to note that since I started reading this book, things have not been as rough...coincidence? I think not! I am just consumed with this book and all it has to share. I am so grateful for where I am in life so why not live like it every moment! Not just the easy moments! I am so thankful to be pregnant and for everything in my life. I want to really cherish the last few days/weeks of this pregnancy! I have realized that I have this amazing privilege to be pregnant again and I really want embrace the hardships (I feel silly even saying hardships...come on...hardships? What a privilege!) that come along with it (not being able to put socks on!). I was feeling like a cripple the last few months. As you all know I like to go, go, go! And that is why it has been so hard to be more like slow, slow, slow. It is really hard for me when I can't take care of my family the way I want too and be all I want to be (where have I heard that before?)! But I should be grateful that my husband wants to help and loves serving me. That is definitely his love language! And I should be grateful when people go out of their way to help us! Family and friends! Like my Mom dropping everything on 2 occasions the last month to fly up here to help take care of Makenzie and help me! THANKS MOM! :) And when we thought I was in labor our friends dropped everything to come right over to take care of Maki immediately! And when we got home Josh ran out and got us dinner and his parents were even in town visiting him but he insisted on helping us! THANKS JENNY! THANKS EM! THANKS JOSH! AND THANKS JON FOR BEING ON CALL! :) So needless to say I am no longer feeling sorry for myself that I can't do as much...oh my gosh I can't believe I ever felt sorry for myself...I am so privileged to be carrying a healthy baby boy and to have all the support, help and LOVE! So as you can see my perspective has changed!

Anyway, enough of my ramblings...I recommend this book to any Mother, Grandmother, future Mother or anyone who has contact in any parental way with God's greatest treasures...children!

Here are a couple pics...
Maki riding the horse at the car wash! She LOVES horses!

Her silly smile!

Video update...

I'm sorry I haven't posted the video of Makenzie being the voice of God yet...I can't figure out the video camera download...I will have Gary do it soon!

Purple Butterfly!

Makenzie dressed up as a purple butterfly! She was darling! On Thursday she went to "Mommy & Me" preschool with Daddy and had a great time wearing her costume! Gary wanted me to rest so he took her to school again! THANKS Gary! :) And then on Friday we went to Stacks for breakfast and she wore her costume all day Friday (except during her nap of course). She really had no idea about Halloween because she dresses up in costumes all the time but she loves her new butterfly one! :)

This is Ruby and Kelly from Stacks! They are so amazing with Makenzie! She LOVES going to visit them!

Update on baby Zach!

We went to the Doctor today and Zach is doing great! He is already weighing between 7 and 7 1/2 pounds! Oh gosh! Gary was 9lbs 10oz. and I was 9lbs. 8oz. so we are going to have a big baby! Makenzie was 5 weeks early and weighed 6lbs 6oz...we are so grateful she was so healthy being early! My sister-in-law Carrie's friend just delivered a baby 5 weeks early and baby Sara is in the NICU...please pray for her health and that she can go home soon!
The Doctor said I could go in to labor tonight or all the way to my due date! It is so crazy to me we went from being concerned I would deliver too early to now possibly going to my due date! When ever the little guy is ready to make is debut we are ready for him!
Makenzie was so cute when we left the Doctor's today!
I said "Are you ready to bring Zachary home and help Mommy & Daddy take care of him?" and she replied "no not yet, he is still in TV at Doctor's!"
We had an ultrasound today so we were able to see him on the Doctor's TV! :) Ultrasound appointments are our FAVORITE ones! My Dr. is amazing and so patient! Gary always takes Mak out of her stroller so she can see the screen and the Dr. allows her look at the screen and talk to Zach and he always prints out an extra pic just for her!

*Sorry I haven't posted Halloween pics yet! I will tonight or tomorrow! :)