Has It Been a Year?

This past year has flown for our little family!  So many different activities have taken place since we came back from California...including moving three times!  There is one thing that remains the same...our Savior has been there for every step that we have taken.

I am preparing for my doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I can not help being excited that it is my last visit in my second trimester!  Next week, the third trimester begins!!

At the same time, I feel like I have a hole in my heart.  This week, we would have been celebrating a little One year old's birthday.  I am very happy that our Shiloh is with the Lord, but sadden at the same time.

God has shown us through Shiloh, that He is faithful and loves His children.  He used Shiloh to get my attention and focus on Christ.  Away from my desire that was starting to be my idol.  Although children may be a blessing, they are also a gift given by God, and in God's timing.

As I sit here typing, I am feeling kicks and elbows.  This little bundle of joy has reminded me of the little ones that I have lost, and yet he constantly reminds me of gratefulness to God!

Every miscarriage is hard, but as long as our focus remains on Christ, He carries us!

I Will Carry You - is known as "Shiloh's Song" is our house.  It has brought many tears, but it reminds us that Christ is with us every step of our lives.

Life...

Most of our last month has been spent in the car. This weekend will be the first in the last seven weekends that we get to stay home!! We have been driving to Daniel's parents place so Daniel could help his Dad with some work, and than we took a trip down to Houston to visit my Grandparents. We also did stop and get pictures of Joshua with the Bluebonnets. They were not exactly what we wanted, so we are going to try again. Enjoy the pictures...

I love his eyes

Being Goofy

Wanting to get our of his carseat

Getting Tired

Sound Asleep

Bluebonnets on our drive

Flowers...

Come back soon....bye!

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon, we had beautiful weather, so, we decided to take Joshua to the park to run off some energy. He had a wonderful afternoon and I enjoyed taking pictures of him with the new camera Daniel bought me for my birthday!! Enjoy the pictures! :-)

"Mommy, could you stop taking pictures of me??"

"Where are we going?"

"It is beautiful outside"

"Are we there yet?"

"Look Daddy, I can go down the steps by myself!"

"This is a big step!"

"Daddy, my hands have dirt on them, could you wipe them off!?"

"This is fun Daddy!"

"Look at me Mommy!!"

"This is fun!!"

"Hi Grandpa and Grandma McDonald!! Looking forward to seeing you soon!!"

Sea World, Downtown Disney, and Coco Beach

Daniel and Joshua hanging out with the fish!

Entrance into Sea World

Daniel entering the Bear Cave

Joshua enjoying the fish beneath his feet!

Happy, but hot!!

Joshua loved this ride

Which direction...North or South Pole?

Daniel pretending it was cold! 

Wonder World.  Because the way it sits, it screeches at night!

We did go in here, and I most likely will not go in there again! :-)

Joshua loved the Beach

(Videos of Shamu, the big Killer Whale are coming!  Blogger is having a problem with my videos right now!!)

Two Songs of the Day

Children of the Heavenly Father

Children of the heavenly Father, safely in His bosom gather; nestling bird nor star in heaven such a refuge e'er was given,

God his own doth tend and nourish, in His holy courts they flourish; from all evil things He spares them, in His mighty arms He bears them,

Neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord His children sever; unto them His grace he showeth, and their sorrows all He knoweth,

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers, your protector never slumbers; at the will of your defender, every foeman must surrender,

Though He giveth or He taketh, God His children never forsaketh; His the loving purpose solely to preserve them pure and holy;

More secure is no one ever than the loved ones of the Savior; not yon star on high abiding nor the bird in home-nesting hiding.

Sounds Like Life To Me

(Note: We do not believe everything in this song!)

Got a call last night from an old friends wife, said, I hate to bother you

But Johnny Ray fell off the wagon, hed been gone all afternoon

Well, I know my buddy, so I drove to Scullys and found him at the bar

Said, Hey Man, whats goin on, He said, I dont know where to start

Sarah's old car is about to fall apart and the washer quit last week

We had to put Mama in the nursing home and the baby's cuttin teeth

I didn't get much work this week and I got bills to pay

I said, I know this aint what you wanna hear but its what I'm gonna say

Sounds like life to me, it aint no fantasy

It just a common case of everyday reality

Man, I know its tough but you gotta suck it up

To hear you talk you're caught up in some tragedy

It sounds like life to me

Well, his face turned red and he shook his head

He said, you don't understand, three kids and a wife depend on me

And I'm just one man, top it off we just found out Sarah is two months late

I said, Hey, bartender, set us up a round, we need celebrate

Sounds like life to me, aint no destiny

Yeah, the only thing for certain is uncertainty

You gotta hold on tight, just enjoy the ride

Get used to all this unpredictability, sounds like life

Man, I know its tough but you gotta suck it up

To hear you talk you're caught up in some tragedy

Sounds like life to me

 

 We thank the Lord everyday for His rich mercies and carrying us through our trials in life, and thankful for another day to live to worship and serve Him!  We certain do not deserve His forgiveness!  

Joshua's Very First Steps!

Enjoy Joshua's very first steps!  We are blessed to see our son go through his stages of life!

(Note: The blanket in the background is covering all the clothes that Joshua has grown out of! )

Two Years!

It was two years ago today, that my father, Reverend James McDonald, placed my hand in Mr. Daniel J.K. Blanchard's.  It was on that day that my name became Mrs. Christa Marie McDonald Blanchard.

Within this past year, God has richly blessed the Daniel Blanchard family!  Allow me to share...

1. God has blessed Daniel and I in a way that is hard to explain.  God, has allowed us to trust, honor, and respect each other in times that are not difficult and in times that are difficult, and in times that we come together as a family to worship our Lord.

2. We patiently waited the arrival of our first baby.  Joshua was born into our family on February 28th.  He has been a blessings to Daniel and I as we watch him grow and we pray daily for our "pooh bear" that him might come to know our Lord and Savior and endeavor to follow after Him.

Happy 2nd Anniversary Daniel Dear!!