Wednesday, December 30, 2015

22 Weeks: Baby Ellis


Ellis Gideon Matt

So we've named this little one! (insert heart eye emoji)

It's a name we haven't heard much before, but we love it. My favorite may be hearing Harry say his name (he chants it over and over, and says it so fast you can hardly tell what he's saying). Speaking of Harry, isn't he just THE CUTEST?!?! I'm clearly biased, but now that we know we're having another boy I am just so thrilled. Having another one of these just melts my heart:



Here I am at 20 weeks...just before Christmas break. Clearly I look tired and SO ready for some time away from work! ;)




And here I am at 22 weeks. Ellis just keeps growing and growing. I'm now to the point where I'm feeling him move around a lot more, which is the very best part of pregnancy! 


We've had a really relaxing week and a half off from work/school. Josh still has work, but he got a fair amount of time off during the Christmas festivities (which isn't always a guarantee with his job) so we soaked up every moment! 

This was us trying to get a shot with a selfie stick. Harder than it looks ;) lol


Harry thoroughly enjoys wearing his pjs all day, which is fine by me! We went to the grocery store the other day with him looking like this (and his bear dressed up as well). It was the best!


I can't believe that in a month's time we will have a four-year-old on our hands. This boy is SO EXCITED to turn F O U R and we can't wait to celebrate him! :) He just gets more and more fun to do life with all the time. His personality is so enjoyable to be around...although he does have his grumpy moments (which just reminds us that he's a normal kid).

And in four months we will get to meet baby brother, Ellis Gideon who has already captured our hearts. Harry kisses my belly at least ten times a day. It's pretty cute. Hopefully he'll still love his baby brother this much when he's crawling around and getting into all of his toys ;) 

I've been pretty bad about blogging every two weeks like I planned to throughout my pregnancy, but I've posted plenty of pictures on Instagram to keep family/friends up-to-date. Pregnancy with a child is way busier than with the first. When I was expecting Harry I had so much free time on my hands, but this time around I'm lucky if I can stay awake through Harry's bedtime stories each night. I wouldn't trade it for anything...but blogging has not been my top priority. My goal is to keep writing Harry his letters every six months, and to write letters to Ellis each month once he makes his debut (like I did with Harry). But aside from that, we'll see how much blogging I do.

I'd also like to do the 10 on 10 project again in 2016. It's been a while since I've managed to keep up on it, but since I'll be home on maternity leave this spring, I figure I'll have more "non-work" time to take photos on the tenth of each month. It's too hard to remember to take a picture every hour when I'm wrangling students through math and reading lessons all day.

Alright, enough rambling here. Hope you had a lovely Christmas and that this New Year brings you a fresh start to get after whatever it is you'd like to get better at this year! :)

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Friday, November 27, 2015

T H A N K F U L

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I'm easing into today with a very thankful heart. Yesterday my parents made us sit around in a circle and share all the things we're thankful for. I have trouble sharing from the heart when I'm put on the spot. I don't know why...but after the first five people shared how thankful they are for family and all the blessings we have, it felt lame to say the same things - even though I am so very thankful for them. I also didn't really feel like crying bunch yesterday, so I held back and said I was thankful for the little things (which I am thankful for). However, if I could go back to that moment yesterday (and have 20 uninterrupted minutes to ramble on about my gushy feelings) here's what I'd say:

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I am thankful for my  p a r e n t s  who have given me their all for three decades now. They really did lay down their lives for me, making sacrifices to provide me with a childhood filled with incredible memories and lots of love. They are the most hard working and generous people I've ever met and I'm so thankful to God that he allowed me to be their firstborn. They not only love me completely, but they love my husband, my son, the babies we lost last year, and the sweet little one who will join our family this spring  S O  M U C H! Thank you Mom and Dad for being parents I know I can turn to, for loving through the good and the bad, for showing me what it looks like to give generously to others...I could honestly go on forever. You are truly an incredible blessing in my life, and in the lives of all who know you.
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I am thankful for my  s i b l i n g s.  Ashley made me a sister, and though I wasn't always the best sister to her growing up, somehow she still loves me. It hasn't always been easy in our friendship, but as we've grown older I can see the hand of God guiding us along the way. As I watch her in this new stage of life as a married woman I am so thankful that she's in my life and that we get to enjoy this special bond of sisterhood for our whole lives. Griffin has always made us all laugh. He's truly one-of-a-kind, as a kid always going full-force into his interests (whether it was Buzz Lightyear, Elvis, golf, politics, you name it). Now, as he enters manhood, watching his faith flourish brings me so much joy, encouragement, and inspiration. He is so much like my late grandpa! And now on to Stephen, my newest sibling. He is funny and loving and so in love with my sister that I couldn't ask for more. It has been fun getting to know him and his family as he and my sister have joined together as husband and wife this past summer. I am so thankful for my siblings. God has been so gracious in our relationships, and while the childhood memories are so fun to think back on, I am  S O  E X C I T E D  that we get to continue being grown-up siblings for the rest of our lives!

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I am thankful for my  i n - l a w s.  Josh's family is so different from my own, yet similar in many ways. I am thankful for Josh's parents who raised the man who is now the head of my household. I am thankful for his siblings (Jeremy, Joey, Mary...and of course my niece and nephew Zoe and Hunter), aunts and uncles, cousins...everyone who has so lovingly welcomed me into their family. There are many laughs with the Matt family, and I'm so thankful for what they bring to my life. It is a blessing to have a second family that is loving and fun to be around. And I am thankful for the times when we are able to combine both sides of the family together to celebrate things. It's always a loud and boisterous time (with lots of laughs) when the Matt's and Lamb's get together! Such a gift!

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I am thankful for my  g r a n d p a r e n t s  who have so lovingly poured into my life. My mom's parents have been an especially strong presence in my life for as long as I can remember. I am thankful for all the memories I have shared with them, even more so now that my grandpa has gone home to be with Jesus. I miss him all the time, but am so thankful for the many wonderful memories that keep him here with us in spirit. Seeing my grandma become a great-grandma (Gigi) to my son has been one of my favorite things over these past few years. They both love each other so much and I cherish their relationship. Such a special bond they share! And though my dad's parents have passed away, I am very thankful for the times I got to spend with them as a child. Many special memories to hold onto. Josh has two grandparents who are living as well, and I am so thankful for them. We spend every holiday with them and they are such kind and loving people! In addition to our biological grandparents, our family friend Sandy is truly another grandma to us. She is part of every celebration and such a joy to be around. I can't imagine life without her as part of our family. Our other family friends Alice and Dave have also been like grandparents to me (and my siblings) and the memories and relationships we share with them are so special as well. I could just go on and on!

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I am thankful for our  e x t e n d e d  f a m i l y! Between Josh's family and my own, we are EXTREMELY blessed by countless aunts, uncles, cousins, second-cousins, etc. who have we cherish so much! Josh and I are so thankful that many of our aunts, uncles, and cousins live close enough to see fairly regularly. But we also have a lot of family who live farther away. My mom's side of the family is spread over the world, but thankfully many live right here in the U.S. with us. We have family in Montana on both my side and Josh's side of the family who we enjoy visiting when we can. If we could all live on the same street, we'd fill up an entire neighborhood...but man it'd be a blast!!! I don't think many families have such a tight-knit extended family. We are so thankful. We really do wish that we could all live closer though...but we cherish every memory made with our out-of-town family (you know who you are!!!). I think it might take me an hour to type everyone's name out...you are all so special to me, and to my little family! Thank you for loving us from near and afar.

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I am thankful for many  f r i e n d s  who have enriched my life in every stage. Childhood friends, college friends, adult friends who I feel like I've known for a lifetime...there are honestly countless friends who have touched my life, some for decades and some just for a season. Regardless of the time period in which each friend has been an active part of my life, I can't imagine who I would be as a wife, mom, daughter, sister, and most importantly a Christ-follower if it weren't for the friends that God has given me throughout my life. If you are or have been a friend to me, in any capacity...know that as I sit here typing this ridiculously long list of thanks (and as I shed a number of tears) I am thinking of you and thanking God for the role you've played in my life. The list would be too long to include every name...but I'm more thankful for you than I really have words to express. Cheesy, yes. True, absolutely!
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And of course I am so thankful for my  h u s b a n d  and  c h i l ( r e n ). After all this gushing about how thankful and blessed I am, I honestly just need to dedicate an entire post just to you, the family that we are building together and how crazy blessed I am...I need a break from crying quietly in front of my computer, so I'll press pause for now and type a special blog post just for you! 

Monday, November 2, 2015

Baby #2 | 13 Weeks

Well my plan was to start blogging about my pregnancy starting at 10 weeks (updating every two weeks, like I did when I was pregnant with Harry). So far it hasn't happened. As soon as I hit 10 weeks this pregnancy really started to fly by. The last few weeks have been a blur. It doesn't help that this time of year for me at work is one of the busiest. From the first day of school through conferences is such a busy season and I'm always exhausted. Add in pregnancy and I'm just taking life one very long day at a time.

Anyway, 13 14 (almost 15) weeks, finally sitting down to write this all out:

We found out I was pregnant just a few days before my sister's wedding. It was nearly impossible to keep the secret for the weekend, but we were able to tell my family at brunch the day after the wedding. Everyone was overjoyed, and we were too. But it's definitely bittersweet to find out you're pregnant after two pregnancy losses. We weren't jumping for joy and squealing. It was a tearful, sober kind of joy - but deep down we've had lots of peace throughout the whole pregnancy. Our motto has been to choose to hope vs. living in fear.



Here's our healthy 7 week ultrasound with a strong heartbeat. Praise Jesus!!!


Bump or bloat?! I'm not sure what week this pic was taken but the belly was already starting to grow!


Our next ultrasound was 9 weeks. And baby was healthy and strong again. Growing right on target, and due to join our family April 28th!


Here's my 10 week bump-date :) I started wearing maternity clothes this week because man, they were way more comfortable than normal pants at this point.


Growing like a weed!!!


I told my students at 12 weeks and they WENT NUTS when they figured out the "hangman" puzzle I made for them. It was pretty adorable. They were so sweet: "We wondered why your stomach was getting bigger, but we didn't want to say anything." :)


12 weeks and I had a little buddy in my picture!!!


And here I am at 14 weeks. Definitely popping out and everyone I talk to asks when I'm due. 


Got to celebrate my friend Megan's soon-to-be baby girl (coming in December) at her baby shower this weekend. You wouldn't think there's about 20 weeks between us...which makes me a little nervous about just how large this belly will be getting.

Overall, I'm feeling peaceful and thankful. I know that this life is precious, made by God, and completely out of my control. With that in mind I've been able to enjoy each moment knowing that it's a gift to carry this life, no matter how long he/she lives inside (and hopefully outside) the womb.

Thanks for journeying with me through my miscarriages and this pregnancy as well. It's all given me a stronger faith and more dependence on the Lord, which makes me thankful - even for the darkest days. But so far (aside from first trimester fatigue and feeling carsick most of the time) I have had a smooth ride this time around! Praying for this little one to safely make it into our arms and home so that we can finally become a family of four!

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Letter: 3.5 Years [LONG overdue]

Dear Harry,

Good morning sweet boy. Last night we were cuddling on the couch watching Toy Story 2 (or as you used to call it "Woody-Buzz"). You're really more than 3.5 years old. It's September October which means we'll blink and you'll be four! You practically think you're four because you are now a member of the "four-year-old class" at school. Next year is pre-K and then Kindergarten. Where on earth does the time go?

But this letter really should have come this summer, so here are a few of my favorite memories that we made together during the two glorious months in which mommy didn't have to work!

We read books, went to the movies, ate countless ice cream cones, spent time with friends and family, both at home and on our trip to Montana.



We went to the library quite a bit and got some really fun books to read. Reading them in your tree-fort was probably my favorite spot! One of our favorite new books to read was the Mercy Watson series. We laughed a LOT about Mercy's adventures and your favorite character was most definitely Leroy Ninker, the wannabe cowboy.


Daddy and I took you to see the new Minions movie which we all loved! You really love going to the theater and barely even blink, let alone look away from the screen. You don't want to miss a moment!

We threw rocks into lakes, and spent many days at the park, sometimes just the two of us and sometimes we met up with friends.


You probably ate at least two popsicles every day. It was one of the hottest summers we have ever said, so of course I said yes whenever you asked!

A major highlight was our trip to Montana in which you got to experience life in the small town your Papa Lamb grew up in (we stayed with Uncle Ricky, Aunt Val, and cousin Emma) and on the ranch owned by your Papa Matt's cousin Cheryl. There were several four-wheeler rides, and LOTS of ice cream, and of course swimming! Fun times were had by all, and it was bittersweet to head home after such a delightful time!




I think the thing I love the most about summer is the regular everyday moments that fill our days. Getting to sit and read while you take extra long baths, going to the park, staying in pajamas all day, dentist appointments, eating delicious breakfasts together...

...these little moments are too many to count, but so priceless to me! I love getting to spend extra time with you every summer!!!





Did I mention we went camping for the first time? We went with friends from church, so there were tons of kids your age running around for you to play with. You had a BLAST for most of it (I think you thought the tent was a "bounce house" with the air mattresses, lol). But there were no naps which resulted in a major meltdown on day two. It was still worth it, but Mommy and Daddy were exhausted by the end. Camping is a lot of work!


And then summer ended with a BANG when we celebrated Auntie Ashley and Uncle Stephen's wedding. It was a fantastic week of extra time with extended family, lots of good food, and not enough sleep ;) but it was all worth it.

You were probably the cutest ring bearer of all time!



When you walked down the aisle, I think you were a little freaked out with so many people watching you, so you hid behind your pillow, ran up to give me a tearful hug...and then your Grandma Matt sat off to the side with you and let you play some games on her cell phone which helped with the tears.


I love this picture of you giving Auntie a kiss right before she became Mrs. Scott...SO precious! 

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Well my boy, that was our summer. In a nutshell at least. You get more and more hilarious by the day. You're always coming up with new phrases that crack us up. You truly are our greatest joy in life. The past year was hard. Mommy got pregnant with two babies that went to heaven. We wanted so badly to give you a sibling and for a long time we had to put that dream on hold and just trust God's timing. Thankfully right at the end of summer we found out that I'm pregnant again and this time (praise Jesus) the baby is growing strong and healthy and it looks like in the early months of being 4 you will finally become a big brother. You're SO excited about the baby, and about becoming a "Big Bro" as you like to say...and we couldn't be more excited to see our family grow again. We can only imagine how much we will all love this new little life that God is entrusting to us.

Just know that you'll always be the boy who made me a mama. Nothing will ever take away the special bond that you and I share, and though having another baby will certainly bring change to our family, the love Daddy and I have for you will never change. 

Thanks for being you, Harry. For the hugs, laughs, hard moments, and forgiveness that we get to experience together. 

Being your mama just gets better and better every day! 

Love always,

Mama

Sunday, October 4, 2015

HAPPY NEWS | Harry's going to be a BROTHER!


I'm 10 weeks pregnant and it's getting harder to hide! I blame it on the fact that I've actually been pregnant 4 times now. But regardless, we are beyond excited to expand this little family of ours.

Harry is going to be the BEST big brother!!!

10 weeks down, 30 more to go! :)

Saturday, August 29, 2015

For My Faithful Few

I haven't blogged much at all lately.

What's new?!

I'm honestly not sure what it is. Probably a combination of things. Instagram probably has a huge part of it. I'm sharing little bits and pieces on IG all the time, which leaves me feeling like there's not much to blog about that I haven't already posted.

I think I've also come to terms with the fact that I'm not going to become a "famous" blogger. Even though I'm highly inspired by bloggers who are, it's just not me. I don't dedicate enough time or energy to it. And I'm just a regular girl who uses this to reflect on life and share pictures here and there. I'm not a home designer. I don't have tons of original crafty projects tutorials to share. I'm not a professional photographer. I'm not a book or food critic.

I'm just me. And frankly the things I want to blog about will never reach a huge audience or change the world. But I don't want to throw in the towel and get rid of this space either. I used my blog to post throughout my pregnancy and Harrison's babyhood. I still write him a letter every six months (yes I'm overdue on his 3.5 year letter). I've been blogging since my first year of marriage (formerly on wordpress) and I just can't give up this space, even if I'm horrible at keeping it updated.

So there you go - I'm pretty sure I'll still be a fairly infrequent blogger...but there is something nice about sitting down with an empty post and just putting my thoughts out there. I'll definitely be back in the near future to share my 3.5 year letter for Harry, and his first day of school (in the FOUR YEAR OLD CLASS) photos.

Posts I may or may not write soon:

  • My sister's wedding recap
  • Summer highlights
  • What I've read this summer
  • Back-to-School shenanigans
Your best bet to catch up online with me is of course Instagram (@knmatt).

Until next time! :) Cheers!!!

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Ranch Life | in Watercolor


Our "Tiny House" for the week!


The inside. A little messier with us living there, but adorable nonetheless.


Perfect clouds hanging above the barn.


Harry's first fishing trip!


The Rocky Mountains are literally in the backyard.


My morning routine: coffee, journal, pool.


This was a HUGE bison we saw at the Bison Range.


Gorgeous flowers from the garden.


Gorgeous sunsets every night.