"You Gotta Be a BIG Girl"

So lately I have been trying to help Natalie get ready for this life changing event that is coming her way in less than 6 months by trying to get her to "be a BIG girl" Of course, she has NO IDEA was is going to happen when Davis #2 pops into her world. She has been acting like a mommy and playing with her babies for a while now and thanks to my mom and dad she now has a stroller and pack-n-play/bed for her babies as well. She loves holding and rocking them and she was constantly come up to Chris and I and "Shhhh" us and say "Elmo is sleeping" or she will run down the hall and yell "Oh no, Elmo crying". I guess it is just natural instincts for little girls to play with dolls and play "mommy" with their babies.

We have been telling Natalie about her brother/sister and she will kiss the baby every night when she goes to bed. She has also learned the boy and girl names we have chosen and she will ask "Where is ______" occasionally. She will also say "I love you baby" as she goes to sleep. It is really sweet.

As mentioned above, in my preparations to get her ready to be a BIG SISTER and Big Girl... I have been talking to her more like a little human and not a toddler. We have transferred her over to a twin sized bed in preparation for the baby needing the crib and she seems to like it. The past few night she has been a little scared of her bed for some reason. Tonight, for example, she asked to go to sleep and then when she got in her bed she got scared and began to whine. Chris tried to get her to go down but she would not even lay down. I took over and went in there and talked to her about being a big girl and getting ready to be a big sister. "Natalie, a big girl and a big sissy cannot cry in their bed or then the baby will cry too. You have to be a big girl and you cannot cry." She said "Ok Mommy. No cry" I then told her that we were supposed to go to the Houston Zoo tomorrow and we will only take her if she is a Big Girl. Her response was "Yeah... Natalie a big girl now." She curled up with her 18 stuffed animals (No kidding) and layed her head on her pillow. She closed her eyes and said "Go night mommy. I wake up then milk and the Zoo!!" (I love how she just HAD to get that glass of milk in BEFORE the zoo!) I kissed her and then left. She has been quite and not made a noise since then!

Now if this would only work with potty-training!!!!!!!

(Side note- Please pray for me on this front. She is ready but practically afraid of the toilet)

I love my Big Girl and Big Sister! I think with a few more months, she will be ready! As always...

God is Good... ALL THE TIME!

The Davis Family Christmas Traditions

During the Christmas weekend with Chris' family, I was able to recall the traditions me and my family shared during the Christmas holidays as well as listen to the traditions of my in-laws. This led me to start thinking about the traditions I was to create with my family. What better time to start these traditions than now! I have thought of a few that I would like to do with my kids and I hope to begin these Christmas 2012.

The Davis Family Christmas Tradition #1

Happy Birthday Jesus

I actually started this tradition during Christmas 2010. I would like to always be able to take time on Christmas day to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas; Jesus' birth. I think especially with young children, what better way to celebrate this than with a cupcake/ cake for Jesus. In 2010 we used a small cupcake and lit 1 candle in the middle of it. We all sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and then Natalie ate a little of the cupcake. In 2011 this tradition became even more special since Natalie and I had been practicing "Happy Birthday" during our singing time in the bathtub and Natalie was able to sing along with us. While I was video-taping this event, a little tear rolled down my cheek as I saw my little girl grow up. After the singing, Natalie blew out the candle by herself and then licked all of the icing off of the cupcake (She didn't really want the cake part but just the icing... I guess she really is MY kid!) Uncle John brought to my attention about needing 2 or 3 cupcakes in the near future so I think I will start using a cake when that time comes! (Thanks for the heads-up though John!)

The Davis Family Christmas Tradition #2

The Reading of the Christmas Story and prayer

I am sure this was a tradition of alot of Christian families but I want to keep this in my family. I have found a small kids book with the Christmas Story in it and I plan on using it in addition to the Bible when my children are of reading age. This past year my dad also gave Natalie a recordable story-book featuring the "True Meaning of Christmas" in which he reads the story to her. I hope this will continue to mechanically work for the next 20 years too! I love that. I hope to be able to pray with my kids and have them pray as well after we read the story of the birth of Jesus. I read from the Gospel of Luke to Natalie on Christmas night when I put her to bed and then the Story-book from Poppy as well so this tradition was started in 2011.

The Davis Family Christmas Tradition #3

Christmas Crafts

Even though I am NOT the art teacher and I am NOT very crafty... I would like to start making a small craft with my kids on Christmas Eve. This would include but not limited to: creating a Reindeer or Nativity Scene on a plate or some other craft supply or creating an ornament for the Christmas tree. I had hoped to start this tradition this year but it will just have to wait until 2012.

The Davis Family Christmas Tradition #4

Christmas Eve PJs

Again, another tradition I am sure LOTS of families do. I never really did this with my family but since we were almost always traveling to the Grandparents house on the 23rd or so, it was not very feasible. I would like to be able to dress my kiddos in matching PJs on Christmas Eve and then have them wake up on Christmas morning to open their gifts together! I would also like for Chris and I to wear PJs during this process. I think with the newest addition to our family in 2012, we should be able to pull this one off next year!

Overall, I wish to be able to have traditions that will bring to my kids attention the true meaning of Christmas: The birth of Jesus Christ. This year on our Christmas card we wrote:

"We are keeping CHRIST in "Christmas" and we hope you do too"

I want this to be my family's Christmas motto and I hope I can instill this into my children at a very young age.

Merry Christmas to all and until next year...

God is GOOD... ALL the time!

Merry Christmas 2011

The Greatest Gift This Season: FAMILY
Natalie, Chris and I were able to spend Christmas with both of our families. This was the first time since Chris and I were married that we were able to get to be with both families at Christmas time. We still we unable to be with both on Christmas Day but within the week of Christmas is still a major improvement for us. In years past we have only been able to be at one of their houses on Christmas and Thanksgiving (Alternating between his family and mine). But now since we live so close to each side, we were able to spend alot of time with each during both holidays.


We spent Christmas with my parents in Arp, TX the weekend preceding Christmas. This was great because we were able to get together and celebrate Jesus' birth without the major headache of a Christmas "dinner". We celebrated a true "Texans" way with Mexican food all around. We made Chicken Enchiladas, Queso, and specialty rice. It was as my sister would say... "Yumsters!". We also had our annual "Bake-off" which featured bars this year. Allison made a fancy chocolate bar called "Cant Leave Them Alone Bars" while Chris made a very tasty bar featuring Pecans called "Pecan Goodie Bars". I went with a traditional Blondie that satisfied my non-chocolate taste but didn't win over the judges. In the end, Allison came home with this years Award and will have bragging rights for the next year. I am thinking next year I will have to play the chocolate card just to try to win it!

We were able to see all of Chris' immediate family over Christmas weekend and celebrate Jesus' birth with them over a somewhat traditional Christmas meal. Last year we fried a turkey for Thanksgiving with the Davis family and this year we decided to try a "TUR-DUCK-EN". Chris and I had ate this before last Christmas with my family and we LOVED it! It was so tasty and delicious. Chris had found a place down here that specialized in stuffed meat and decided to get one for the Davis Christmas Dinner. We were all so very excited about it. In fact, Chris was so excited about it that while basting it on Christmas Eve afternoon, he dropped some of the juices on his foot and burnt it! Poor Guy! With this Tur-duck-en we had a variety (a very LARGE variety) of side dishes including; Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Leeanna's Famous Mac and Cheese (It may not have been famous before but... IT IS NOW! It was "Yumsters") as well as about 5 other side dishes. Our poor refrigerator was FULL with leftovers after this ARMY-SIZED meal! Overall it was a wonderful meal.

While together with Chris' family we played card games including Skip-Bo. This was a game I used to play with my grandma which made me think of her and miss her and all of my extended family alot. This led me to start thinking about Christmas' past and all of the "traditions" we had. We spent a great deal of time on Christmas day sharing "traditions" with each other. It was so interesting to hear all of the family traditions every had. For example, one of Chris' family's traditions is putting together a puzzle at Christmas time. This year they were able to put together a LSU puzzle and Natalie actually got to help! Leeanna and I pretty much had the same Holiday traditions and festivities which included traveling to see our family! This discussion led me to think about the traditions I was to create with MY OWN family! And now that we are going to be a family of 4, I think I can begin most of these Christmas 2012. These will be highlighted and detailed in one of my following posts.

I am so grateful to have such wonderful family members and I will be forever grateful for their love for me and my family. Thank you Mom and Dad for a great Christmas in Arp. We loved EVERY minute. Thank you also Allison for finding time to come and spend that weekend with us. It would not have been the same without you! Thank you Dan and Jackie for your continuous support for Chris and I, not only in the form of a roof over our heads but in so many other ways as well. Thank you D'Ann, John and Leeanna for also coming and spending the Christmas holiday with us. We loved spending that time with y'all!

Another Christmas in the books. Just think... next year we will be a family of FOUR!

God is good... ALL THE TIME!

Prenatal Visit #3

Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The Heartbeat

Today I went in for my 3 month prenatal visit. I was 13 weeks and 1 day. Things are still looking great and I was "right where I need to be" in the words of my doctor. He checked to make sure all was well and the due date was the same (I am not sure how he can still judge this but... he did). I am still due June 19, 2012 and he will take him/her on June 10-12.

I seemed to have gained a little more weight than I would have liked to but the doctor didn't seem to be too worried about it. I was the one that brought it up and his response, much like that of my husband, was "You're pregnant". You see I had worked long and hard (over a year) to lose the 65 pounds I had lost right before I found out I was pregnant. Since the beginning of this school year I had dwindled off my very strict diet little by little but as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I began to eat like a normal person again and I think my body has just now caught up to my eating change. I have not really been eating for two yet but I have not been sick this time around either (I am not complaining about this!!!!) Overall I have gained about 6 pounds in my 13 weeks of pregnancy. That is a lot to me and I just look at the scale and begin to get depressed thinking about how hard I worked to get down to a good weight and now watching those numbers get higher and higher each week/ month/ doctor visit. In spite of the holiday food craves coming, I have been pretty good this past week in eating healthy. I have tried to stay away from sweets and only eat fruits and vegetables as often as I can. Hopefully next time (only 10 days after the holidays are over!!!!) I will not have gained so much!

I have officially begun my 2nd trimester and I am feeling GREAT (Thus far). Compared to Natalie Grace and her pregnancy, I barely even know I am pregnant half the time. I have only gotten morning sickness a few times in my 1st trimester and I have not been too weak or mental exhausted like last time. I have been tired but I blame that more on the fact I have to get up at 5am each and every day for school not my pregnancy. I am hoping this lack of sickness and problems means it is a boy!!!

Most important from this doctor's visit was the location and hearing of the heartbeat. The doctor was able to locate the baby and find it's heartbeat rather quickly and I got to hear that precious "pitter-patter" of yet another miracle and blessing from Above. It is amazing how faint and small that sound is yet so powerful. I am amazed after hearing that how people can end this life of such a blessing just because it is not a good time for them. That makes me so sad. I am so very grateful and blessed God has chosen me to be this little boy/ girl's mother and I cannot wait for June 19 to get here!

Thank you Lord for Your continued blessings.

I go in for a "gender check" on January 11 and as long as the baby cooperates, I will know if I have my little boy or not! THINK BLUE please!!!! Either way... it is a dream come true and a true blessing from God!

God is Good... All the Time!

Different? or Polar Opposites?

So today at school I am trying to run through my Christmas musical and all chaos broke out. Basically everything I had worked on and taught my kids was over-ruled by my team and leader and thrown out the window. I am trying to work on a very structured and professional concert and somehow it got turned into the "Redneck Show" from down the street. I tried to lay out my instruments in a very structured and professional way and they decided to throw my instruments in large containers (pickle buckets) and call it good. This made the students have to adjust to this change and then more chaos broke out.

Earlier this week I was told I can not take roll of which kids are there and which kids are not. In the past I have always done a head count at least to see who has shown up the concert. I do understand that I am teaching in a MUCH different environment that I am used to and I have the adjust to that myself but they are just so flippant about it all. I was told "too many parents work and cannot get their kids up here". I tried to make it a commitment thing and again, they "nixed" that and I am left with whoever shows up. I just don't know how I am supposed to conduct an even half-way decent concert and performance if I cant do it my way or I have to just "half-butt" it as I like to call it. That is so not me at all and I hate it. My name is going to be all over this show and it will be a reflection of me not just the school or music department.

While I was working at my previous position I was talking to my principal and administration about the thoughts and plans for Chris and I to move to Houston and be closer to family. I shared with them my dream of becoming a college band director and teaching at the collegiate level someday. We talked for a while about dreams and aspirations and actual turn -outs and my principal gave great insight to me which I ponder about all the time. She said "You know, sometimes WE have plans and everything is planned out but what about God's plan. Your plan and God's plan may not be the same. You need to brace yourself." I took that statement with me but still thinking I would get there one day. After a day like today and the school year and position I am in right now, I wonder if she is right. Alot is going on in my life right now and I just don't see that dream of mine coming into play anytime soon. Yet at the same time, I don't even see me wanting to teach anymore after a day like today. I am beginning to wonder if not only mine and God's plans were the same but are POLAR OPPOSITES! Maybe I am not even on the same road as He is.

I am really struggling with my job right now and trying to make through each day. I have prayed and prayed for a better attitude and outlook on the whole ordeal and I feel better but then as soon as I get a decent vibe, I am right back where I began. I have ALWAYS loved teaching and loved being with the kids. Even when I was at my very first job, which was also not what I thought it was going to be, I still liked teaching band and enjoyed making a difference in the kids lives. Right now, I feel as if this is just a job and paying my bills. I don't have that passion I used to have. This really scares me. Just another moment of "You don't know what you got until it's gone."

My motto for most of my posts is "God is good... All the Time". I do believe this and I that is why I make a point to put it in my posts. I know God is going to take care of me and my job situation and struggles. I just have to give it to him. Of course, we all know, that is the hardest thing to do. I covet your prayers for me and my job! But yet again...

God is Good... All the time!