Tiny side note. I'm sitting here eating the Mega Stuffed Oreos (I promise you the Lord wanted me to have them because while at Wal-Mart they pretty much jumped out at me, really!). Anyways, they are SOOOOO good!! Oh my it's really difficult to exhibit self control and not eat the whole bag!

 I'm pretty sure if you asked Brody what he wanted to be when he grown up he would answer, "I want to be daddy!" He does everything Mike does. He wants his hair to look like daddy, he wants to go to work like daddy, if Mike has a hammer in his hand Brody needs a hammer in his hand. It's super cute. Over the weekend Mike was raking with our only rake. Not a problem though the broom worked just fine for the boy :)

 It was a gorgeous day to be outside! Aubs loved sitting on her blanket while watching her boys :) Sweet girlfriend had a rough night last night with a cough and lots of congestion. This morning I took her to the doctor to find out she has another ear infection :( She does weigh 17lbs 15 ounces though :) Poor girl even vomited twice today. Hmmmm.....maybe she has a bit more than an ear infection.

This is how dude a lude looks lately at our house. A shirt and just undies on. Yep you read correctly. Big Boy Undies!!!! Randomly we decided to toss the diaper thing and it has worked!! He has even been taking his naps with undies on and stays dry. Yahoo!! Him and I went grocery shopping this afternoon and he stayed dry! So proud of him! And his little diaper rash bottom has never looked better :) Isn't that big boy undie bottom just the cutest thing!!??

Funny story. I was in the process of putting Aubrie down for a nap this morning when she vomits ALL over herself, me and the carpet. You know those few seconds you just stand in one spot trying to figure out your next step when something unexpected happens? Well I was smack in the middle of those few seconds when low and behold Brody run into the room yelling, "I have to go poopy mommy!" Of course, right!? So me and my puked covered girl (who was very happy and content by the way) walked big brother to the potty (did I mention we were dripping puke in the hallway?). The life of a mom! Gosh I love it and wouldn't  trade it for anything :)

And finally my little nugget of Truth . I read a few verses in Romans today. What stuck out to me was this, "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17. How is your faith today? Have you been in the Word (the Bible) to get to know God more? This is the only way to really get to know Him and have a relationship with Him. So open it up, learn from Him and be encouraged today!

 Oh my! Those eyes!! I just can't get enough of those big, juicy, brown eyes! (And that trail of drool dripping down her face ;)!!!! Yesterday Aubrie wore an outfit that had a small tutu around the waste. As soon as Brody saw her he said, "Oh, Aubi! Your a pincess. So petty" Melt my heart into a big old puddle! Miss girlfriend has also shown some desire to crawl! Whohoo!!! She gets up on all fours and sport one big smile before the face dive into the floor ;)

Brody (and daddy) the sharks! BIG breakthrough yesterday! We've adapted to the slow potty training way. When we are home Brody will wear his undies and the timer goes off every 30 minutes to remind us all it's time for B to use the potty. Last night Brody ran up to be and said, "Mommy, I need to go poopy!!!" We ran to the toilet, he put on his poopy face and splash! My boy went poopy in the potty!!!! Yahoo!!!

We got Brody a step stool that would help him to be able to reach the sink to wash his hands and brush his teeth on his own. Well, he has a little bit more growing to do yet to reach the sink. Don't worry though! The step stool doesn't go to waste. He's brilliant! B carries this thing around the house and doesn't let the frustrations of being a bit short get him down. He says, "I ne to cim" (I need to climb) and gets what he wants. Very self sufficient :)

 

Miss Aubs girl is now a 9 monther! Goodnight! She sleeps from 8pm to 8am and two naps a day. She is busy rolling all over the place but her favorite place continues to be in my arms or at least in sight of me :) She loves attention and hates, hates, hates to be alone! The second she is left alone you would think she cracked her head open with the type of cry she lets out.

 

Girlfriend loves to stand. We all think she may just skip the crawling stage and go straight to walking. She shows not one bit of interest in crawling. Still just the two bottom teeth. Eats as if she will never have another meal again ;) She is beginning to transition to feeding herself! We might just get to put away the food processor :) 

And again, the same from day 1, has one special relationship with her brother! Lately during family devotion time as we are all sitting on the couch, the two simply give each other googly eyes :) Brody tickles Aubrie's cheeks, Aubrie giggles and goes after B and it all happens again. Gosh, we have one good life. There has been some big disappointments that have come the last couple weeks, but really, what do I have to complain about? God is good and His blessings are beyond what I deserve!

It's just a blueberry kind of morning :) Girlfriend tried this super messy fruit for the first time and they are a hit. There really was never any doubt she wouldn't like them, the proof of her love for food is all in her cheeks :)

 Auntie is staying with us this week while she's kicked out of her dorm room during Spring Break. We mixed sleeping arrangements up. Usually we bring Aubrie into our room (well our closet actually, don't judge!). Well we always have talked about the 2 kiddos sharing a room. So Aubs and Brod are giving this idea a test run and it's going great! They both love it. In fact sleeping better then usual (these 2 REALLY adore each other!). I'm surprised I haven't found B in the pac n play with Aubs yet :)

 

I will leave with a nugget of truth that I just read from Acts:

"I saw the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also live in hope, because You will not abandon me to the grave, no will You let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence." Acts 2:25-28 

How I needed to be reminded of his constant guidance today! How true that He does fill me with joy each time I sit and open His word or just simply talk to Him.

Brody LOVES basketball! In fact I kinda think he's pretty good at it. I know I'm his momma and am a tad biased, but he's sort of known for his hoops. Sometimes that's how others in the nursery remember him. They will saying something like, "Oh yea that's the boy that plays basketball" or "Oh yea Brody! He made those crazy shots last week!" His daddy is pretty proud to say the least ;)

 Uncle Spencer came to visit last week during his Spring Break! Uncle Spenc loves basketball also so, goodness, thats all they did! To top it off it was March Madness time. I'm pretty sure we dreamt of basketball for a week :) Really though, it was such a fun time of having him down. Brody was is udder despair the first few days after he left :( Every time the garage door would open he would jump up and down yelling, "Uncle Spenc is back!" Heartbreaking when he would find out the truth.

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Mike and I have been following the Dave Ramsey financial plan sense last October. Last Friday we made out very last school loan payment that took us out of debt! (Well of course we have our mortgage). We worked so hard for this accomplishment! So to celebrate we entered into this century with getting I Phones! Technology throws my brain to mush but I'm so excited to be able to take pictures and videos of my kiddos! Really and honestly thats the reason I wanted one :)

 My Grandpa was a barber right up to a few weeks before he went Home with Jesus. He had his own barber shop that was such a staple in our family. We would simply go to the barber shop for haircuts (well the guys would, he never liked cutting girls hair. But the gals often times tagged along because it was fun). Anyways, while we were home I went through some of Grandpa's barber shop things. Immediately I knew what I wanted. I cut Mike's hair and hope to cut Brody's soon and I always talk about needing a "cape" so that's what I took a hair cutting cape :) We used it over the weekend and it was a really neat time filled with lots of emotions. I'm glad I have it and I look forward to every hair cut I get to give my boys because it brings up so many memories. This will be one of the many ways Brody will get to remember his Great Grandpa :)

What a special time of celebrating my Grandpa's life last week. Gosh how we all miss him so much. Will it ever seem real, that he is gone? I do celebrate knowing He is pain free, but goodness, I just simply miss him. At his visitation he had requested that all of us family wear his absolute favorite team, Chicago Cubs. Afterward we all went out for pizza. You would have thought we just walked out of Wrigley Field with all the blue and red we were sporting, it was great! We know Grandpa would have been so proud :)

 

Brody and Aubrie were such troopers though the whole thing, we were so proud of them. We did decide to keep them with a sitter on the day of Grandpa's funeral. Selfishly I really missed those two kiddos that day because they've been such a much needed distraction though the sadness and just two really sweet faces to look at through tears.

 

Those dark,big brown eyes! I just can't get enough of them!!

So we are home now and have vowed that we will not be taking anymore road trips for a really, really long time (not even to Tulsa!). We are staying here in the 'ville. No one here is complaining! 

So anywho.......the Aubs girl is 8 months! I've done a terrible job at doing her monthly updates, so here are a few:

• Sits up like a pro
• Rolls over like a pro
• Perfers standing to anything else
• Loves eating Puffs
• Wearing 6-9 month (but more on the 9 month side) clothes
• Sleeps with her 2 monkeys, Rain and Molly.
• Dropped the 3rd nap. She now just takes 2 two hour naps a day. One at 10 and the other at 2, conveniently when B takes his afternoon nap.
• Really is not liking her bottle much anymore, she much prefers the source of her milk :)
• Continues to have such adorning eye's for her brother.

Mike and I got away on our yearly "get away" trip earlier this month! We went to Wichita, Kansas for a marriage conference that was 2 nights! Goodness how I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE getting away with my husband. Did I miss the kiddos, yea not really (don't judge me, I really don't even feel bad). Of course it was really fun and exciting to come home to them, but it's just so nice to just date all weekend. I mean really we are the reason they are here, right. I'm so glad we've made getting away at least every year a top priority. Already looking forward to next year because I wont be so bound to our frozen milk supply. Really excited for the year we can be gone for a week :)

Grandpa

I love being a daughter of Jesus. I love being known by Him and my deepest prayer is that all of our kiddos will one day decide to follow Him also. Today my sweet Grandpa left us to go be with Him in all His glory. I celebrate in knowing he has heard those words, "Well done good and faithful servant." I celebrate in knowing he is right now bowing before Jesus, I celebrate also knowing that he is in no more pain, all his sickness and pain are gone. 

The selfish part of me, however, is grieving uncontrollably as I find myself a upset with the Lord. I've found myself these last few weeks questioning God's plan. I find myself wanting so badly to know why. Why did he have to take our Grandpa? Did he make a mistake? This wasn't supposed to happen, not like this, not ever, he is my Grandpa! I call these my David moments. In the book of Psalms David shares his deepest sorrows and his extreme joy. He doesn't hold back telling the Lord how upset he is with Him but also doesn't hold back with how happy he is also. 

In the midst of this bone hurting pain, the endless tears and the confusion, I will continue to cling not to what my flesh tells me but  to the words that are treasured in my heart, "Lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge me and I will direct your paths", "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I will continue to shout from the top of my lungs, "Great is Your faithfulness, Your mercies are new everyday!" I don't get this at all and frankly yes, I'm pissed that I will never get to have my Grandpa's arms around me on this side of heaven, but I KNOW that He is good, He is good, He is good! Jesus You are good! I'm thankful we've had these few weeks of saying goodbye. I'm thankful Meghan and I were able to go up to Iowa earlier this week and spend hours next to Grandpa's bed. I'm thankful we got to sing around him, pray around him, read scripture around him, reminisce, look at countless pictures and laugh over some great memories. And I'm so thankful I got to witness first hand the incredible love and devotion my Grandma has shown to her husband of 55 plus years. She hasn't left his side. Her hand has been constantly on him for the last few weeks. What a wonderful and perfect example of "though sickness and health" she has shown. 

We will leave early Sunday morning to return back to Iowa to begin Grandpa's celebration of life. Please pray for safety for everyone traveling in from Colorado, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Below is one of many priceless pictures we took of Grandma and Grandpa. Gosh, he is so missed!

Caring bridge

 My Grandpa has now transitioned to hospice care this morning. Would you please be praying for him that he continues to feel God's peace and comfort during this time. I'm going to leave it at that. Please, please, please go to his Caring Bridge website and leave a message for him and my Grandma. Even if you never met him, please leave them a note. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/danwilhelm.

Brody, the Fireboy

A small 2 year old dream was lived out a couple weekends ago. Brody got to spend a few hours being a Fireman!

 A friend from works husband is a firefighter and finally our schedules lined up that we could meet her husband at the fire station.

 Oh man! I can't tell you enough how much he LOVED paying on the big red "far tuk".

 Can you see him driving in there?

So I don't think fire science is in Girlfriends blood, according to her face in this picture, but I think it very well could be in Big Brothers :)

Goodness! How crazy these last few weeks have been. For a little while now we've had a trip to Iowa planned. Last week a couple days before we left for Cedar Rapids my grandpa was quickly admitted to ICU for Congestive Heart Failure and Pneumonia. Even though our hearts were so saddened by this news, we couldn't have been more thankful to be on our way home in order to be with family. We spent lots of time at the hospital. They had a great waiting room that was constantly supplied with family so there was always someone to play with the kids when we went back to be in grandpa's room. I'm always amazed how the Lord makes great things out of such difficult times. So many tears were shed around Grandpa's bed, every bone in my body hurt with sadness, but we felt the Joy of the Lord in every way.

 

We had such a great little "family reunion" there at the hospital, seeing family that we didn't plan to see. I'm so thankful for the gift of family!

We took a break from the hospital to play at my grandma and grandpas house. Brody played hard as Aubrie took such a long nap on my Grandpa's bed.

This boy was one tuckered out boy! To give you an example how much we were at the hospital, B would tell us he wanted to go to the hospital ;)

The kids really were such great troppers!

Unfortunately Grandpa wasn't able to meet his great-grand-daughter, but Grandma was. I LOVE this picture!!

The day before we left to come back to Bartlesville, Grandpa came out of his coma enough to squeeze my hand! What a special moment that was! Sense, he has been moved out of ICU! Recovery was going well until just yesterday when his pneumonia returned from aspirating on food. PLEASE be praying for him! My aunts have created a website on his recovery. Please visit is and leave him an encouraging message:) http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/danwilhelm

We also got to spend lots of time with my mom and the cousins! Sweet Laycee even got to spend the night at Grandmas :)

Oh my the fun these two crazy kids had! :)

Inspite of Grandpa being sick, we really had such a great time being home and were SOOOO proud of how well the kids did with the 8 hour drive :)

Aubrie had a two week ear checkup today to see if her double ear infection was healed. Sadly, it's not! Booo! Thankfully she shows no signs of distress but it's another 10 days of medicine for her. She did re-gain the weight she lost while being sick and even added a couple ounces :)

 I love the picture above. So you may just see a pretty little gal, but look in the top left corner. See those claws (I mean hands!) coming right at her? Brod was in mid action trying to tackle her. Oh brother! We are trying to teach him that we don't tackle our sister or other girls for that matter. Our lessons just don't seem to be setting in.

So when he's not trying to wrestle his sis he does have a gentler side, sometimes. The other day B and I were in a parking lot. He suddenly broke loose of my hand and ran back to our car. I was hollering at him telling him to stop and he FRANTICALLY yelled back at me, "Aubi, Aubi in ca" Sweet brother thought we left Aubrie in the car. I picked him up and showed him she wasn't in there and he smiled and me and calmly said, "Oh, Aubi home daddy" (Aubrie is at home with daddy).