Friday, November 25, 2011

So much to be thankful for!

No traveling...Yes!...not really much shopping...Yes! This was the first year that we had Thanksgiving at our own home! Ever since we moved into our house a little over a year ago Beach has wanted to do family gatherings and this was our first one yet. Even going to bed the night before at midnight from all the preparing and cleaning the day before, he stated, "I'm so excited about tomorrow!" Now it was only our family and my parents and sister this year, but hopefully more to come in the years to come, but it was great.

Beach smoked his first Turkey, another thing he greatly loved, and so did everyone when they got their first bite! Man that is good stuff (this will sure to be done every year)!
It was a long process, but thankful for nice weather!
Smells amazing...
And the taste test!
Zoe got to be a big girl and help with the cooking.
She loved getting in on the action....of corse she wants to do whatever mom is doing.

I love traditions but we don't really have any (beside the traveling) for the holidays, so I decided to start a couple this year. The first was everyone wrote on our new thanksgiving tablecloth of something that they were thankful for. Then in years to come we will continue to add on and get to remember the past years.

The next tradition was to collect beforehand from those that were coming things that they were thankful for, write them out, wrap them in aluminum foil, and place them in the middle of a crescent role. (This was my first completed pininterest by the way.)
Zoe helped get them ready!
I didn't let our guests know and wanted to it be a surprise. After we started eating I happened to look at my dad's plate where I saw most of his role was gone. "Oh no," I wondered, "Did he eat it?"
(OK, this may or may not have been posed afterwards!)
Nope....he had politely just stuck it under his plate, as he thought it was just part of the roll wrapper and he didn't want to offend his hosts. After the laughter lessened, I explained the idea.
We each took turns reading the thankful notes and trying to guess who said what.
Looks like Lauren found one too!
Zoe did not enjoy her bread as much and for some unknown reason bursted into tears while eating hers.
No worries though! Short lived....esp. after we busted out the cheese for her.
We also enjoyed some outdoor time. I want a tradition for the outdoors but don't know of any....got any ideas? With a turkey foamed shaped cappuccino and a cutie toddler running after a ball, it was good to enjoy the warmth left from the end of the day.
The Lord is so good, his blessings and mercy so amazing. Thank you Lord for a great day, for family, for a hard working husband that loves and serves us, for health, joy, Zoe, new life, and growing me in my faith daily to serve you!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Double Trouble!

How is it that some minutes can feel like they take FOREVER, especially when the anticipation for something has been building for some time. Probably because I already have a daughter, who I love dearly (that and the fact that I already have all the "girl" stuff), that I wanted to stick with all the pink parade. I thought it would be great for them growing up not even a couple of years apart. AND THEN when I found out that my sister (who is just a couple of weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy) was having a girl, oh I just wanted one so badly.

Finally, halfway through the pregnancy and the day came for the ultrasound. I prayed that God would allow me to be excited if we found we were having a boy and was touched by God's peace. Knowing that His sovereignty was greater than anything I could ever hope for, knowing that He was in control and had the best for our family and our outreach, I was ready for what was to come.

But why oh why does the ultra sound technician seem to take forever, and save the gender for last. I know, I know, I should be supper thankful that everything else was fine (I guess it my heart I already knew that it was), as she went through each body part. And it truly is amazing how something so small, so knit together, and inside me would soon be a major part of my life....but what was it already????

Then baby just wouldn't corporate and show its self, no matter how much we tried. "Would it helped if I moved?" I was willing to do cartwheels right there in the small room if it would have helped.....just don't make me wait to come back another day! Finally, baby revealed itself. The technician asked me if I could tell what it was...ummmm...really, well I don't see the three lines. You don't? Well she pointed them out to me and explained that we were having a girl! The smile broke across my face and I could not believe it....are you sure? Yes, it was to be. The Hughes girls blood runs strong, as we continue to fill the next generation.

The only hard part of it all (at least for now before all the extra hormones hit and I wonder, why did I want girls?)...coming up with a name. We had picked out the prefect boy name before Zoe and where ready to use it....but now, left with nothing...haven't even talked about it yet....but confident that God will give us that one too!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Pray...Dada...Pray

Especially at night and when in the car, she will often say, "Pray," repeatedly until I do so. Usually when asked what she wants to pray for it's Dada. What a amazing reminder of how I truly need to be lifting him (amongst so many other things) up in prayer throughout the day. Whenever I stop praying, she almost always asks for more, and continues to ask until I start again. It's made me think of the broader and deeper things to pray for other than the normal "surface" stuff. I never expected my prayer life to grow from this manner. May she always have a sensitive soul that yearns to talk to her Heavenly father!