boy how I miss my girls......

.....these two and lots other girls who I don't see often enough and didn't get to see over our trip.  I have been so blessed with so many amazing friendships.  God has placed so many incredible women in my life over the years and I just wish we all lived in the same place!  I had a small window of time to see these two gals and even though it was short, it was so, so sweet. 

Charlie is just glowing with her 21 week baby bump.  She is embracing her pregnancy in a way that is so refreshing to see.  We met for cupcakes at "Cupcakes and more..." and it was delish.  We talked baby while I chased after my "not a baby anymore, little boy."  The shop didn't have a counter or swinging door or anything blocking their work area so he was super curious and took every opportunity to try and sneak back there to scope it out. 

Charlie let me put my hand on her adorable baby bump....boy how it made me realize just how much I miss being pregnant.  This little baby is one lucky little boy/girl.  They are going to have such an amazing mommy (and Jon you are going to be a great daddy too!).  I can't wait to meet you someday little baby F! :)

Lincoln had his own mini cupcake all to himself and he didn't even touch it.
Now that's what I call self control!

Charlie and I shared all these: 

starting at the top left and going clockwise

{red velvet - oh it was my favorite, lemon, chocolate}

{cookies 'n cream, and pineapple}

And I had a 1/2 hour (yes only 1/2 hour!) to spend with this lady.  Shannon and I go WAY back.  And I mean WAY, WAY back.  Like back to 3 years old.  There is a picture of us playing on the merry-go-round together to prove it :)  We've been best friends ever since.  It's so easy to just pick up from where we left off every time we get together.  I stopped by her place and we chatted while trying to keep Lincoln from breaking all of her roommate's pretties. 

(these photos were taken the same day but I'm a blondie up above and a brownie here...hmmm....)

I miss these girls and wish we all lived closer!  Maybe eventually.....

So I have wanted to see "Eat, Pray, Love" for a long time now and finally convinced Tyler to watch it with me.  We got half way through and I got bored, we turned it off and now I'm back to blogging.  Is that bad that I'm admitting that? 

Then and now {Linc and Adeline edition}

So this past week, Lincoln and I had the chance to stop in and see Anna, Everett and Adeline.  It was fun for Lincoln to get to play with his 2nd cousins (I'm pretty sure they are second cousins.  I'm 1st cousin's with Zach and so our own kids would be 2nd cousins, right?  Or would that be 1st cousins, once removed, I have no idea.....feel free to leave a comment letting me know if you are an expert on that stuff!).  They all had fun and Lincoln got practice at sharing toys :)  It's getting harder and harder to do that, it seems.  We've gotta start now so he'll be practiced, for if/when he gets a new brother in August :)

So we'll start with the very first picture of Lincoln (3 months) and Adeline (2 weeks? Anna correct me if you remember) at a shower that was thrown for Lincoln in Nebraska.  I love it because Lincoln's screaming didn't even phase Adeline, she was as content as can be. 

So after playing for awhile and before we left, we decided to get a picture of the three of them together.  Lincoln was a hot mess and not havin' it.  He wasn't feeling good and was throwing a fit because he had to stop playing with the toys (man I'm not liking these fits, any advice is welcome!)

So we have a picture to match the first one.  My son is screaming and the other two are like, "what's wrong?"

 We did get a couple good ones though, after Zach came home for lunch and tickled Lincoln.....

he was in a better mood for pictures (we've got one tummy showing in this one)

All smiles but no one looking at the camera and now Lincoln is showing his tummy

and now all the tummies came out!

isn't she just adorable...

don't let this picture fool you, it looks like they are playing nicely but right after this picture it became tug-o-war because they both HAD to have that bracelet....since there was a huge lack of toys in this house :) haha

I wish we lived closer so they could grow up knowing each other.....well maybe someday. 

on my heart : marriage

Did you know that Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married/got married tonight/last night (depending on when you all ready this)?  At 4am?  I'm guessing there aren't many people who didn't know this.  All this hype about the Royal wedding, which I have not paid hardly any attention to but with it blaring on every channel, at least it seems like it, it's hard to not know anything about it.  There is so much thought and meticulous planning that is going into this huge event.  Lots of money spent.  No detail is overlooked.  Even down to the day before, people are running everywhere to make sure everything happens perfectly. 

Many, if not most girls start planning and dreaming of their weddings from a very early age.  We all dream of having the perfect day, wearing a beautiful dress, and marrying our prince.  Planning a wedding is a long process, lots planning and LOTS of money and it comes and goes in just a couple hours.  Plan for 6, 12, 18, 24+ months all for one day's events.  But how many couples thinking about, planning or preparing for the actual marriage? 

If we all were to put as many hours and effort into planning for marriage as they do for their wedding, my guess is that more marriages would last.  The divorce rate is extremely high.  Unfortunately the institution of marriage is not valued anymore. 

William and Kate have tons of people working for them and helping them plan this wedding but is anyone helping them prepare for their marriage?  If so, we don't hear about it because that's not the interesting stuff people want to hear about. 

A marriage built on a "wedding" isn't going to have a great chance at survival.  Marriage needs a good foundation to build upon.  A good foundation is found in Chirst alone. That song was sang at our wedding and it was so perfect (go listen to the lyrics).  If we aren't both seeking a relationship with Him first and basing our marriage on Him, it will suffer.  

Marriage is hard work.  I was 19, young and naive and had no idea.  I quickly found out how selfish I was and now I didn't just have myself to think about but Tyler. 

Kristen from "We are THAT family" just posted this yesterday and I liked it:

1. You never arrive-marriage takes consistent, conscientious work! We never attain perfection or reach some plateau. Daily communication and a commitment to work hard are a must. Throw yourself into your marriage!
2. Work on changing yourself- We spend a lot of time blaming our spouse for the rough patches. If we focus on changing our impatience, our expectations, our control issues, our marriages will improve and spouses will too.
3. Serve-If you make a habit of putting his/her needs in front of your own, it will revolutionize your marriage.
4. Invite God in- If your spouse will pray with you, then pray together daily. Be quick to forgive, slow to anger.

We've read different books on marriage but a couple years ago we both read, "Love and Respect." It was amazing.  We learned a lot about ourselves and each other.  Men and women function so differently and this book really lays out the differences and how to end the "crazy cycle" and stepping on each others "air hose."  If you are married and haven't read it, we both highly recommend it.  It was great for our marriage.  

Weddings are great and I had so much fun planning mine but just remember it's one day, and your marriage is for the rest of your life.  Marriage should be the priority, not the wedding. 

Linking up with Casey for "what is on your heart"

{embrace} the camera - april 28

We've been having a great time here in Nebraska.  We seemed to have brought the dreary weather from back home with us.....it was barely just nice enough to get out and go play at the park the other day but we still took full advantage.

We have been filling our time, running around trying to see as many friends and family as we can and it seems it's gotten the best of the Linc man and myself and we're both a little under the weather.  I'm not that bad, but I ended up taking the little man to immediate care tonight because he was wheezing pretty bad.  Turns out it was good I took him in, he's got bronchitis (but don't worry doc said it wasn't/isn't contagious unless he gets a higher fever - to those of you who we've seen and played with yesterday/today) and a tiny ear infection!  Those darn ears....man.  I about had a conniption when the doc said that......I was all..."he JUST had tubes put in two weeks ago!" and she then said well maybe it's just still redness from the tubes so it's probably just a tiny infection but we'll go see the ENT for a follow up next week when we get back.

Anyways, I think we're gonna have to lay low the rest of the time we're here so we both get better before flying back on Friday. 

So before all the sickness set in.....we had fun playing!

Grandma Hunni and Lincoln going down the slide

Getting ready to try the BIG slide for the first time

WOAH!

tunnels are so much fun

We're having fun but sure do miss my hubby.  Can't wait to see him Friday! 

Go link up over at Emily's blog and do some {embracing} yourself! :)

Easter weekend recap.....pt. II

I'm guest blogging for the first time over at "oh what a day it is today"  Click HERE to go check it out!

[warning - this post contains lotsa pictures.....!] :)

{saturday}
We spent the first part of our weekend with Tyler's awesome family.  We spent Saturday playing a Wii tournament, decorating cookies, hunting for Easter eggs, eating a scrumptious supper [or dinner to Sarah, :) what do all you guys call your evening meal?]

Tyler won the Wii tournament and got the awesome prize of a cadbury egg!

We decorated lots of bunny, chick, and egg cookies

 guess who found the chocolate?

Tyler with his sister, Kelsey and brother, Jarrod

Great Grandpa came over just in time for the egg hunt!

Kelsey and the bug net - she's gonna kill me for putting this on here :)

Tyler's sister Kelsey, Me and Jarrod's girlfriend Sarah who we finally got to meet!

 
{sunday}
After church on Sunday we had lunch at my Grandma W.'s house, Lincoln got to have another Easter egg hunt, Grandma Hunni and Grandpa got him a new trike that he doesn't want to stop riding, had supper with my family at Grandma Hunni's house and the day went way too fast!

Lincoln was getting a little tired as you can see in the picture....but isn't his hat just precious? oh my, I love it.

trying on some shoes

I found another one!

come on guys, lets go!

Had to help Aunt Hope get her shoes on

My beautiful sis and I

Lincoln asked Grandpa how big he can get his mouth ;)

Sweet as Hunni(cutts) :)

the new trike that Lincoln road all over the house

 Of course we had a great time this weekend and soaked up all the family time we could get but Easter isn't about that.  Easter is a time for us to remember the great sacrifice our Savior made for us on the cross.  He paid the ultimate price by bearing the sins of all of us by dying on the cross and then raising again.

He loves us more than I can even comprehend and this song just really describes it well.  Read the lyrics and then listen to the song by David Crowder.  Amazing to be loved like this.  I don't deserve it at ALL but he still LOVES me despite my failures.

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,

Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,

And I realize just how beautiful You are,

And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh

Oh how He loves us,

How He loves us all

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,

Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,

And I realize just how beautiful You are,

And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh,

Oh how He loves us,

How He loves us all

He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,

Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,

If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.

And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,

And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,

I don't have time to maintain these regrets,

When I think about, the way…

That He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves.

Yeah, He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves.

Yeah, He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves.

[scroll to the bottom of the page and pause my music to listen to the song]

Easter weekend recap {the drive}

It all started last Thursday night at 6:15pm.  We all packed up in the trusty Escape and set out on our first ever road overnight road trip.  It was the longest road trip we've ever taken with our little man and I was a little nervous.  It was a 15 hour drive plus stops (so ended up taking us 16 hours).  We weren't off to a very good start as we stopped at the first rest stop to get supper (Burger King....and I'm NEVER eating a whopper again but that's a whole other post in itself) and we didn't realize that they had forgotten Lincoln's milk until we were on the road again so we stopped at the next rest stop (which was exactly the same so they had another Burger King - toll road rest stops are so strange like that) to get his milk....ok add another 10 minutes onto our driving time already.....grrrrreat.  After that we were ok.  

 Tyler drove until 9 and then I gave him a break to try and sleep a little until midnight.  He took over the captains seat then and drive until 4 and I did another hour before he finished us off. 

It actually ended up going pretty well.  Lincoln didn't sleep as well as I had hoped for.  He does really well in the car but would fall asleep and then start crying because he was uncomfortable so we would sing until he fell back asleep and then we would have to stop to fill up with gas (again!) and he would wake right up, be bright eyed and rearin' to go!  And of course the only place to stop in the middle of the night are truck stops so he was in heaven looking at all the cars and trucks!

We made it to Omaha and stopped at McDonald's before making the last 2 hour trek.  Those 2 hours were easy peasy after the past 14!  

And we survived.  It was very tiring and as soon as we walked in the door we gave Lincoln to my mom and Tyler and I crashed for a good 3 hour nap.  That's the way to do it, I don't think we would've been able to function very well if we weren't able to take that nap.  But we were there, we had made it.

Stay tuned for the rest of the weekend recaps! :)

{embrace} the camera - holding hands

Things have been crazy around here so that is the reason I've been MIA this past week.  And it's only gonna get worse so don't expect many posts in the next week or so.  We're headed to "The Good Life" this weekend for Easter and Mr. Linc and I get to stay all next week as well so as I get spare time, I'll fill ya in on our weekend.  We are so excited to see all our family again, it's been since Christmas since we've seen most of our family and that's a LONG time.

Part of the reason I've been so busy are these extra sets of hands.  We've gotten to spend some great time with the little boy attached to these hands and he has stolen my heart.  Oh. my.  :)

I was able to hold the hands of a very special little boy twice this week.  I got some really cute pictures but they can't be put on here so all you get is a glimpse of his precious hands holding both Lincoln's and mine.

I know it's only my hand that's in the picture this week (kinda cheating) but hey I think 

I can bend the rules just this once :)

We had our first homestudy visit this past Tuesday and it went really well.  We'll have 3-4 more visits before it's complete and lots of paper work to do in between those visits!  All worth it though!

I'm linking up with Emily this week for "embrace the camera!" 

new music added

I just added a playlist to the bottom of my blog again (I had it on there when I first started the blog but couldn't figure out how to get it to pause so it got annoying and I took it off).  But I figured it all out now and put all new songs on there again. 


So FYI if you don't want to listen to it just scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and pause it.  But I hope you all enjoy listening! 

Also if you watch any videos I post, you'll want to pause it when you watch those as well. 

Happy Friday!  Have a great weekend!

on my heart

my heart is all over the place.  I knew that it would be like this when we started thinking about adoption but I never thought we would pursue adoption through foster care.  Granted this is a very unique situation and I'm not even the one providing the foster care for this child that we want to adopt but my heart is already gone.  This little boy has stolen it and he won't give it back. :)  His case is all up in the air still and you never know which way a judge is going to rule.  All I can do is pray.  Pray God's will to be done in this little boy's life.  That he will end up with the family that he is supposed to (and of course I add in there, specifically that he would end up in our family).  But that is hard.  

Like I already said, this is a unique case and I get the opportunity to spend time with this little boy.  To get to know him.  Learn how to take care of him.  Find out things he's learning right now in PT.  Make him laugh.  Watch him interact with Lincoln.  

I am loving this. I am loving him.  I want the best for him.  So I place him in open hands, like I've learned to do with Lincoln.  We are not promised tomorrow, with our kids and I am not promised a future with this boy but I can love on him every opportunity I'm allowed.  

So that is what is, and has been, on my heart lately.  

I'm linking up with Casey's "what is on your heart."

 

video of an adoption journey dear to our hearts

 We have some pretty great friends.  Friends who let us live in their basement apartment when we were just married.  Who just happen to be in the adoption process.  And have been in the adoption process for a VERY long time.  How long?  Well a normal timeline for an international adoption (besides China) is anywhere from 12-18 months or even 24 months for a really long wait.  Well their journey started back in May 2007 and now this May (that's a four year wait!) they are finally traveling to go pick up their precious boy!  Watch this video Kendra put together to share their journey.  Make sure you've got some tissues, I cried like a baby.  Probably because it's so near and dear to my heart, but still.  Ok, go watch it!

{embrace} the camera: "pictures of hope"

I'm taking the easy route this week for {embrace} the camera and using a pictures from almost 2 years ago now.  But I've been writing a post on what I've learned about being a mom from a fellow blog friend for her blog in a couple weeks, so I've been looking at pictures to use and taking a walk down memory lane.  I came across the "Pictures of Hope" that Unruh Photography graciously took of Lincoln when he was toward the end of his NICU stay.  I will cherish these photos forever. 


If you've never heard of "Pictures of Hope," it's a foundation that photographers join on their own accord and come to take complimentary pictures of you and your child in the NICU.  I'm not exactly for sure but I think it was started by mom's of NICU babies themselves.  If you go to there website HERE you can click on "find a photographer" to see if there is one in your area and if you know any mom who has a sweet little one in the NICU, let them know about the service!  I'm certainly glad a friend of mine told me about it!

Oh and if you are in the Wichita area, you should check out Unruh Photography as well!  They take amazing pictures!  After meeting Jenna when she came to take pictures, we found out she grew up in Nebraska like us, only a couple towns away!  Small world. 

If I remember right, Lincoln was about 4 weeks old for these pictures and 

had just gotten out of his isolet and into a big boy crib!

I'm linking up with Emily today!

here, there and everywhere!

Another normal day around here.....getting ready to head out to see a sweet little 9 month old boy, get me a vanilla Dr. Pepper on the way home, run a few errands, wipe Lincoln's constantly running nose, clean and start getting our spare bedroom liveable before next Tuesday when we have our first visit for our homestudy!  Then tonight we have yet another night class with Children's Services towards becoming foster/adoptive parents and I may or may not make supper somewhere inbetween....if not Chipotle can come to the rescue yet again! haha.

Well that's all I've got time for, for now......

Oh one more thing....I am totally addicted to Pinterest.  Don't know what it is?  Go check it out, it's a great way to organize bookmarks!  I LURVE it! :)  Happy Pinning!

See ya'll tomorrow for {embrace} the camera!

drum roll please.......

.......and the winner of the aPearantly Sew $15 credit is........

Comment #7 - ALISHA!

Email me at thelincbetweenus @ gmail (.) com and I'll get the deets to ya!  

Thanks everyone for entering.....hoping to have another giveaway soon! 

monday random......

We had a pretty good weekend with it ending with some fantastic weather on Sunday.  Saturday we (or I should said I) had another foster/adoptive parenting class.  It was only 8:30-12:30 so one of the shorter Saturday classes.  Tyler was planning on going but was on call for something at work and got called in 1/2 hour before we had to leave.  He didn't even have to be there very long but for the class to count, you can't be more than 15 minutes late and he would've been 45 minutes :(  So he will get to make that one up June 25th.  We have one on Wednesday evening and one all day Saturday and then the two to make up in June and we are DONE.  Our home study is starting and we have our first at home April 19th.  The home study is a 90 day process with a couple visits (one surprise visit), paper work, copies of marriage license, auto insurance stuff like that and physicals for all three of us.  So I need to make the guest bedroom/craft room/extra storage into a room that would be welcoming to a child that we would accept.  So we are in the market for a crib (since Linc man isn't going to be leaving him any time soon!) and a convertible carseat.  If any of your know where I could get a good deal, let me know!  I'm on the lookout myself and I think I've found a pretty good deal on a carseat.

Anywhoo......

We were planning on the rest of the day being nice and sunny and the weather here disappointed us yet again.  So while Lincoln and Daddy took afternoon naps, I ran some errands and we had a fun evening watching the movie "the other guys" and veggin' on the couch.  Oh and I finished another rosette necklace, this time in light pink to go with one of my dresses.  So what do you all think of these necklaces?  Would you wear this?  Would you buy one?  I'm thinking about opening up an Etsy shop.  I have a couple yarn wreaths that I've made as well.  Let me know what you think!

Sunday held up to it's promise of temps in the upper 70s.  Yep that's right we actually saw the sun.  I had forgotten what it looked like.  I had forgotten what warmth on my skin felt like.  It was amazing.  We took a walk and played outside.

I put him in this outfit and then we realized just how much like a "little boy" he looks like now!  

Happy/Sad day.  They grow up too quick!

 Oh and I got that Step 2 car at the Kiddie Kloset Sale last weekend for $12.  They sell new for over $50.  And at that same sale I got Lincoln's new bedding (comforter, 2 fitted sheets and 2 regualar sheets) for $25.  Target is still selling that same set and I saw the comforter is listed at $69 JUST for the comforter.  I got a great deal!  I would go take a picture of it but Lincoln is sleeping so you just get the Target picture.  I'm in the process now of figuring out how to redecorate or actually DECORATE (since it never got decorated after we moved, poor kid) his big boy room for once he moves to a big boy bed, which is still a ways away. 

We had Life Group that evening and stayed afterwards to watch our friends' kiddos while they went to a fundraiser.  We found out what it would be like to have 5 boys.  Oh boy! ha!  Lincoln had his first real wipeout while playing out on their driveway, he tripped over a scooter and really scraped up his face.  Poor guy was crying so Tyler brought him inside to me and he started crying HARDER.  I finally figured out that he was upset to have to come inside and as soon as we went back outside he was back to normal.  Made me laugh, typical boy. 

checkin' out the damage post-neoporin :)

I just had to post this one because it was such a goofy face

His poor face.....

So like I promised, this post is random.......

Here is one of my favorite items that was just introduced to me, from Trader Joe's.  Their pizza dough is amazing. It fits all my criteria for food.  It's super cheap $.99 (that's not a typo, it's really only $.99!).  It freezes well so I can stock up and just pull it out when we're feeling like some homemade pizza.  It's from Trader Joe's so it's gotta be on the healthier side AND they have a new flavor besides just white or wheat.  GARLIC and HERBS.  Oh my, it's delish.  I could just roll it up in strips and make it as bread sticks, it's so good.  So if you have a Trader Joe's nearby, go get some and make a pizza! :)

And last but not least, my little boy is starting to show some independence.  It makes me want to cry and hold him back and keep him from growing up but I can't.  I need to let go and let him discover for himself.

He has started not wanting help with putting his shoes on.  And he's actually pretty good at getting them on by himself!  So far it hasn't happened right when we're trying to leave so it's not driving me too crazy.  This weekend was the first time he actually said "no" when I asked if he wanted some help.  And he was adamant about doing it himself!  It took everything I had to let him walk around with the shoes on the wrong feet after he had gotten them on himself but I let him and he was happy, that's all that matters.

Wrong feet.

And then I decided to try and be sneaky and take a video of him trying and this is what I got......

(try to ignore the huge mess behind him.....I'm more of a let him get all the toys out and play, than a "Neat Nancy" if you haven't guessed already!)

Hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoying your Monday!!!  (Remember, let me know what you think of the necklace!)