Christmas!

Christmas for the Wardell family was tons of fun.  We started by having GiGi come on Thursday and sharing a yummy dinner with wonderful friends.  On Friday we went to James' parents for dinner and Christmas.  The boys loving seeing their Grandma and Grandpa!  We really enjoyed spending time together and exchanging gifts.  Later, James, Alex, and Grandpa went to see Tron while Eric took a nap and the girls played games.  It was a great time to bond and laugh together.  That night the boys and I prepared for Santa and we read the Christmas story.  Saturday morning was filled with excitement as the boys opened their surprises from Santa!  Alex and Eric loved their bicycle and tricycle from Santa and playing with their Geo-Trax that received from GiGi.  Later in the day we went to my parents to have dinner and exchange gifts.  We had tons of fun watching the boys ride their bikes and open their new toys.  After we left we went to look at the Christmas lights at the Gullo home!  It was amazing and VERY cold!  Sunday took us to church, but after sacrament everyone went home except for me because Alex wasn't feeling well...he has a cold.  Monday was spent shopping and eating with GiGi.  Today we spent time with GiGi before she left for home.  We loved having her here for so long and the boys were so sad to see her go.  This week will be filled with lots of "getting things back to normal".  After such a rough few weeks I am welcoming some normalcy and some time to get myself back in order.  We had a wonderful Christmas and we are looking forward to the new year!  I am excited to see what this year brings.  Hopefully I can get back in the groove of updating this thing.  So until next time...

Our Christmas Card!

My Rough Spot

I haven't been on my blog in so long!  I figured I should update everyone on what has been making me and my life so crazy lately.  It has been one emotional roller coaster for me health-wise this year.  I started the year with horrible kidney problems and I am ending the year with woman problems.  On December 7th I went to my OB-GYN because I was very late and had a positive pregnancy test!  Finally an answer to a prayer!  We were thrilled!  When I went in, my hormone levels were good, but an ultrasound looked a little funny.  We could see an egg sac and we could see the start of a baby, so my doctor assumed that I ovulated much later then we thought and that he would do everything in his power to keep me from having a miscarriage...this involved a lot of VERY expensive hormone therapy and lots of doctor visits and blood draws.  A week later the doctor like what the blood work was showing so he decided to get another ultrasound to see how it looked.  A week later we see the same thing...egg sac...no heartbeat, no development.  Then I quickly realize that something is not right and the pit enters my stomach.  At this point my doctor pulls me into his office and explained that I have an anembryonic pregnancy...a false pregnancy.  For whatever reason, there was a pregnancy, but no baby...no baby.  I am 10 weeks pregnant with nothing!  My body fully believes that I am pregnant...this means cravings morning sickness and exhaustion...for nothing!  This is probably one of the hardest things that I have been through.  My heart aches as I think about it.  I just sat there and sobbed like a baby and trying to understand what this means and what happens next.  Well, then I was sent to the hospital to do all of my pre-op because I was now to have a D&C on Friday, December 17th...a week before Christmas Eve!  I am an emotional hurricane for the rest of the week and two days before the surgery I get the most horrible stomach bug that makes it that much worse.  The day before the surgery was rough as I had to totally rely on my Heavenly Father to help us with the money involved to get this done.  The bank account said that we wouldn't have enough money, the doctor said he can't help and that I need to have this done or I can actually loose alot of blood and end up in the ER, and the hospital won't help me because i have insurance...crappy insurance...but insurance.  The Lord came though and miraculously I was able to make the payment, and have the procedure done.  James took the morning off to take me and be with me.  I was a mess emotionally and wasn't doing well at putting on a strong face.  After the procedure I woke up with tear stained cheeks and tears in my eyes...I can only figured that i cried through the procedure even though I was under anesthesia.  I was heartbroken.  The doctor told me that I would be emotional and that things should level out in a few weeks.  I already suffer from post-partum depression and so this time, my hormones hit rock bottom very quickly and I was worse then I had ever been with either of my boys.  I went home and rested and felt sore, but okay.  The week before Christmas is always crazy, but it was terrible difficult this year.  I wasn't only dealing with stress of gifts, baking, people, and everything Christmas brings, but also I was dealing with alot of pain and unhappiness.  Life was not a happy thing for me and I just couldn't get into the Christmas spirit...I just wanted Christmas to go away!  Finally I was able to get out and get my orders done and some shopping accomplished and it helped.  Now Christmas has come and gone and I am totally relieved.  I am praying that my body will chill out soon and I can quit feeling so crazy and that this new year will be a bit of a break from last year.  I have so much to be thankful for and I am very thankful and I pray that through these trials will come lessons learned.  Our Heavenly Father has blessed us as Malachi describes..."if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."  Malachi 3:10. 

This post has been hard to write and I am sure that there are those that will read it that will think that I shouldn't have shared this, but this is my blog, and this has been on my mind.  I decided to wait to write this post until things had calmed down a bit so that i could write with a clear mind.  Things are improving and I know that good things will come and I have been eternally blessed.  My testimony has been strengthened beyond belief this year and i pray that next year I will learn even more. 

It's Been A While

Wow, I haven't written in a while!  Life is so busy, yet somehow, always the same.  I just spent an hour and a half changing the look of my blog and I am still not completely satisfied, but oh well, it will do.  I am super excited to be in League City for a couple of days to play with GiGi and to get our family pictures done.  I have had a lot on my plate lately and when I am away from home I can relax a bit and not worry so much.  There are lots of things going on in the Wardell house as we prepare for Christmas and other things.  I am grateful that at times I can sit and reflect on the eternal perspective of things and re-prioritize my time and energy and feel instantly lifted and calmed by my Heavenly Father.  I truly lead a blessed life with an absolutely amazing husband and two crazy boys who NEVER allow life to be dull.  I will try to be more frequent in my posts and I am sure after these next few days I will have lots of fun things to update everyone on.  Until next time...

Thanksgiving

What a week!  This was a great Thanksgiving that was shared with some amazing people.  I was able to fill all of my orders and keep things pretty relaxed this last week.  I was able to have Alex home all week for the holiday and we shared some good time together and Eric was thrilled that his brother was home all week.  Thanksgiving was spent at my parent's house.  There all the family gathered as well as some wonderful friends.  We enjoyed great food, great conversation, and tons of laughs and smiles.  I am super excited for the Christmas season to start. 

On Friday, James and I camped out at Target for "Black Friday".  Many people thought we were crazy, but it paid off.  We were pretty cold and then a wonderful friend and her daughter heard that we were waiting in line and brought us lots of warm blankets, REALLY warm coats and a chair.  I was so touched that she did that, it was pretty late.  Well, we went and came out successful!  We had been saving up for a new TV because ours had died and with the deal we were able to get, we got a really nice TV and had money left over.  After we got home we got some rest and then started decorating the house.  James only gets a few Saturdays off, so we took advantage of his Friday off and got lots of things done.  The tree is up, the lights are up, my nativities are set out, and I am super excited to start the Christmas festivities.  This is usually such a busy time of year, but I really hope to be able to focus on our family and on Christ.  I feel so blessed to be surrounded by wonderful friends and family that are always looking out for me and are there to lend a helping hand whenever possible.  So as I sit here humming Christmas carols I sign off, and until next week...

A fun week and a relaxing weekend...

This last week was so much fun!  Monday was my birthday and we had a few friends over for cake and a game of Apples to Apples.  I was also able to go to League City on Monday to visit with my favoritest GiGi!  On Tuesday Alex had his very first "Picture Day" at school.  I am so excited to see how the pictures turned out.  On Wednesday we had a day...a day to get some chores done and to catch up on some things.  Thursday we all went to Alex's school so that we could watch his Thanksgiving Program and have a yummy lunch with him.  He was so stinkin' adorable as he sang his songs and wore his pilgrim outfit, even if he wasn't to thrilled with his "costume".  On Friday James took off half of the day so that we could get ready to go out of town.

Alex singing his Thanksgiving songs (he's in the yellow)

Alex in his Pilgrim Costume

 On Friday evening, we dropped the boys off and headed out to Cleveland, TX.  After a much too long drive (we got lost, no cell phone reception, middle of nowhere, and not satellite reception for Google Maps, you do the math) we made it to Artesian Lakes!  This place is amazing!  We stayed in a little one-room cabin on the lake!  The weather was beautiful and the scenery was to die for.  We enjoyed waking up to the sunrise and watching the world come to life from the front porch swing as we sipped hot chocolate.  On Saturday we enjoyed a carriage ride to breakfast and a yummy breakfast.  Afterwards we went horseback riding and lots of fishing!  I caught 3 fish!  One was BIG, but the snapping turtle ate it!  I was so mad at this turtle!  We had been buddies earlier as I fed him graham crackers, then he took advantage of my kindness and stole my fish and ate it!  After that i caught two small fish and threw them back.  We then enjoyed making smores and relaxing!  On Sunday we did a little more fishing before checkout.  James caught a small bass and I caught lots of trees and a nap :).  I loved our weekend, but was really missing the boys and couldn't wait to see them.  They greeted us with big hugs, kisses, and cuddles.  Sunday night we decided to have a little fire in our backyard so the boys could roast marshmallows too.  I love being home and snuggling with my boys!  I am sure this next week will be busy as I fill Thanksgiving orders and also do my own preparations for the weekend, but until next time...

At Artesian Lakes

The view from our porch swing

Thankful Thursdays-Talents

Today for my Thankful Thursday post I have to express my gratitude for the talents that my Heavenly Father has given me.  I have become a well rounded woman due to the talents that i have been blessed with and developed.  I am especially for the talent I have for baking and cake decorating.  Who would have thought that when I started taking my cake decorating classes I would be where I am today.  I started taking the classes to deal with post-partum depression after I had Alex.  These classes gave me a goal, independent of caring for my baby and also gave me a small break every week to socialize and to be constructive and accomplish something.  I find it amazing that I now run a small business out of my home and I am even exploring my options of opening a business with a friend.  I LOVE MAKING CAKES!  I love providing people with a delicious dessert that is made with love and I know they will enjoy and will bring a smile to their face.  I love that Heavenly Father blessed me and encouraged me through my training and has always been there to answer my prayers and helped me to continue to press forward, even when I am tired.  Talents are amazing.  They bless everyone, even those who do not possess them.  I love that I can enjoy my friend's talents, as well as my own, and I can watch my children develop their talents and grow into well rounded young men.  Thanksgiving is fast approaching and I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of my "thankful list".  I am excited for the next week and I am excited that I can spend Thanksgiving with my family.  Here is our "Thankful Tree" list...it is starting to really fill out...

Thursday: My Job (James)
Friday: Talents (Me)
Saturday: Flowers (Alex)
Sunday: Drink (Eric)
Monday: Health (James)
Tuesday: Friends (Me)
Wednesday: Animals (Alex)

"And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

(New Testament Matthew 25:20 - 21)



Thankful Thursday-Veterans

Thursday has come again and I have decided to dedicate my "Thankful Thursday" to Veterans because it is Veterans Day.  I am so grateful for the men and women who have fought for my freedom.  I am so grateful to know many people who have served our country and I feel blessed to have them in my life.  I love the opportunities I have every day to make choices and exercise freedoms that many people do not get to have every day, or even ever.  I am grateful for the right to vote and to be able to voice my opinions in a peaceful and diplomatic way.  We are truly blessed to live in the United States of America and we are in a choice land.  Thank you to all of those brave men and women who serve or have served our country! 

Our family is still working on our Thankful Tree and this is what we have since last week...
Friday- Giraffes (Eric)  He wanted to put Poop...but I didn't think we should put that on the tree
Saturday- Eyeballs (Alex) because eyeballs are cooler than eyes and they're squishy
Sunday- The Gospel (James)
Monday- Knowledge (Me)
Tuesday- Trees (Eric)  He tried poop again...
Wednesday- The Whole World!