Playing Catch Up

I am going to warn you all from the beginning...This is going to be a long post full of pictures and update from the month of May. We have been going non-stop this month. The first weekend we had the Jefferson Davis Relay for Life walk on Friday night...a Homebuilder's Seminar at our church Saturday, and then we surprised my niece with Taylor Swift tickets!

Our relay for life team did exceptionally well raising over $13,000!!! We were the "GREASE" team..."Cure is the Word"!



The Taylor Swift concert was OUTSTANDING! The concert began at 7:30 with Glorianna peforming first...then Kellie Pickler...and last Taylor Swift. We left at 11:15! Taylor performed for over 2 hours! This concert was well worth the money! We surprised my niece Madison with the tickets the day of the concert. She thought that we were going to spend "special" time together that day...I dressed her up in a dress and cowboy boots...TOO CUTE! When we got in the car I turned Taylor Swift up loud on my IPOD and told her we were on our way to see her LIVE in concert...Madison was speechless! And for those of you that know Madison...her being speechless says ALOT!!!






The next weekend was filled with one of my best friends wedding festivities. Jamie Walker tied the knot with Scott Martin. We had such a great weekend with friends. Friday we had bridesmaid luncheon and rehearsal and dinner. Saturday morning Shea and I fixed breakfast for all of our friends in town for the wedding and then we all got to hang out by the pool for a few hours. Saturday night was the wedding and it was a BLAST!!! Shea performed his usual wedding song..."Never Been to Spain"...a special request from the bride. After the first song he had a double encore...too much fun! Sunday was such a hard day...much harder than I ever expected...It was Mother's Day. When we found out we were pregnant it was around the time of Mother's Day. I had such high hopes of my Mother's Day this year with Mary Glenn...holding her...and being so thankful to be a mother. Well as we know God had another plan for MG...so she spent Mother's Day with our Lord and Savior...but I can promise you that she was with me all day in spririt. I miss you so much MG...I can't believe it has been 6 months!

Here are a few pictures from the rehearsal dinner...




And the wedding...







Last weekend began with our nephew's graduation from Prentiss Prebyterian Christian school. Congratulations Ty! The rest of the weekend our friends Lori and Carson came in town to spend the weekend. Lori's husband Gerrod was off fishing so it was a good time to visit. I had so much fun with Carson. It is so hard to believe that he will be THREE in August. We swam...took naps...ate Hibatchi (Carson wants to be a Hibatchi chef when he grows up...haha)...visited with friends...and had a GREAT time!

Ty Daniels...



Here is a picture of Carson helping his "Uncle" Shea play the guitar.



Sorry for the long post...but I had a little house cleaning to do...I should be talking with you sooner next time! We don't have much planned the next two weeks...but I am preparing for my trip to NYC!!!! I am going to leave you with a few random pictures...

Here is Madison sound asleep on a raft in our pool on Mother's Day...She was totally exhausted.



Below is a picture of some friends that I work with...please excuse the fact that I am in a bar in my bridesmaid dress!!!



Without God it is utterly impossible. But with God everything is possible. Mark 10:27

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Much Love,
Bethany

Four Amazing Years...

Today Shea and I will celebrate our four year wedding anniversary. It's amazing how time flies. It seems like only yesterday we were anxiously awaiting our big day. God has blessed me with a wonderful husband. Shea and I were soul mates. This past year has been the hardest year of both of our lives...we have gone through a lot this year...some things that a couple may never experience. I can honestly say that I am a better person because of Shea. There is no way that I could have ever gotten through the death of my first child without him. He is my rock. Someone recently told me that Shea and I always looked so happy...my answer to them...WE ARE HAPPY! Even though we have faced a trial in our lives this past year, doesn't mean we can't still be happy. Do we miss Mary Glenn? EVERYDAY! But our Lord and Savior and Mary Glenn don't want us to be sad...our lives must go on! Mary Glenn is in a better place than her parents...and we can only wait our turn to go and dance in Heaven with her. Until that day comes Shea and I will continue to live our lives...we will continue to have fulfillment in each day...have fun in our marriage...love one another...pray about future...and wait and see what God has in store for us. I can't imagine!

On this day Shea please know that I love you more than anything in this world and thank you for being my partner in life. You are absolutely the best and my life is complete with you in it! I look forward to many more years to celebrate!

I love you!
Bethany

Spring Flowers...

I love flowers! I always like to have spring flowers in pots around the pool and on the front porch. If you have ever been to my house I also have Iris' in the flower beds around my front door. Well I love it when they bloom...they add so much to the front of my house. I only wish they would bloom longer! Here are a couple of pictures! I can honestly say that I got my green thumb from my grandmother and not my mom! It must skip generations...just kidding mom!

Enjoy!




Jeremiah 29:11
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.

God Bless!
Bethany

I have been dreading this time of the year...

Usually when April rolls around I am getting so excited about the warming weather...days out by the pool...weekends spent at the fishing camp with family...our anniversary...a few trips to the beach...and whatever summertime may bring, but this year I knew would be so different. Tomorrow, April 23rd will mark one year since Shea and I found out we were going to have a baby. I will never forget that day.

I was scheduled to have my regular "girly" appointment and I had told myself if I had not started my period that I would take a pregnancy test...just in case. Shea and I had been trying for two months and my doctor had already told me that she felt I would need assistance to get pregnant because of my medical history with my menstrual cycles. In fact, I was looking forward to visiting with the doctor to get a game plan. Well this morning in particular I got up early...took a pregnancy test and got back in the bed!!! YES....without even looking at the results. Looking back I think how in the heck did I do that...but I think I was half asleep. Shea wakes me up again to get dressed and I ask him if the test by the sink is positive...he yells out YES!!! I thought he was kidding. He didn't even know it was a pregnancy test. He just thought it was another ovulation test. We get the booklet out to make sure we aren't reading this test wrong. The positive line is SO faint that I don't believe the test. First thing I do is call my mom. Of course my dad answers and says mom is getting dressed and I explain to him I MUST talk to mom. He grumbles as says..."Becky...your youngest daughter MUST talk to you". Mom says hello and I say..."Mom, I THINK I am pregnant?!?!" Mom goes...What? You THINK??? What does that mean??? I explain to her that the line is SO faint. I send Shea to the Ramey's in Sumrall for another test. I take two more...all show the same faint line. So Shea decides to go to the doctor with me. The nurse comes in and I explain everything to her...I even pull out the pregnancy tests!!! HAHA! I do a urine test at the doctor's office and this tech comes back in with the results. The nurse says...well what does the test show. The tech so rudely goes..."It's faint." I am thinking...show some emotion please! The nurse says faintly negative or faintly positive? She says positive! Of course...I start crying. We were pregnant! How exciting!!! After the appointment I went to my parent's house because I had to see my mom. We cried some more and then I remember Shea and I smiling from ear to ear and going to Books A Million to get the book my best friend Lori insisted that I get..."What to Expect when Expecting".

I know that this is just the first anniversary date of my pregnancy with Mary Glenn and I have so many more milestones to go these next eight months. I miss MG more and more each day...and I even find some days harder now than I did a few months ago. It's already been over five months since I held my precious daughter and words can not express how grateful that I am of the time I got to spend with her. I will always remember my time rocking her in the rocking chair in the FGH NICU and the entire family and staff singing Jesus Loves Me. I also can not find the words to express to Mary Glenn my thanksgiving. Her little body and soul changed my life forever. As I try to improve my daily walk with God and lean ever more on His words I think of how MG blessed me beyond belief. My walk with God always needs to be stronger, but if I compare it to my life before MG...it's overwhelming how far I have come. Never does a day go by that I don't think of my sweet baby...rather it be when I get to work each morning and the first thing I see on my desk is my baby girl or if it is in my prayers when I thank the Lord for our miracle.

I ask that you continue to pray for Shea and I as we struggle through this time of the year. Shea and I pray daily that the Lord may bless us with another sweet child...a child of God...but while we wait on God's timing we praise Him! He is everything and I remind myself that I am nothing without Him. Our Father does not waiver...he still gives me the same peace that he did on August 20th when we found out the news of MG. My faith remains constant in our Heavenly Father as I know that it is He that gives me the strength to get through each day.

1 Peter 1:2 Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

May God Bless You!
Bethany

A Picture Update...

Shea and I have been on the go a lot lately and are ready for our lives to slow down! Here are a few pictures...

In March we went to see Jamey Johnson in concert with our friends John & Machelle. It was suppose to be Jamey Johnson and Willie Nelson, but Willie got the flu so Randy Houser filled in. Jamey is one of my favorite singers so I really enjoyed it!




I had a great weekend in April with my friends from college. It was Jamie's wedding festivities weekend. Friday night my friends Ashley and Katie came into town to help prepare for Jamie's shower. The shower was at our house Saturday morning. The afternoon was spent at the spa. FABULOUS!! That night we went out in downtown Hattiesburg.


This past weekend we had M.G. Dyess & Regions Annual Relay for Life fish fry. As usual we had a great turn out and so far have raised over $11,000 dollars!!!






Unfortunately I have no pictures from Easter weekend. It was a great weekend. Saturday, my sister in law & niece opened their new store in Sumrall...Nellbaby's! The grand opening went really well and I am so excited for them. Sumrall has needed a cute gift shop for a long time now. If you are ever headed that way stop by...its on Main Street. Saturday night after the fish fry Shea and I went to the Conn/Slay wedding. It was absolutely gorgeous and a great time was had by all. We do have some pictures from that night, but they are on my sister's camera so when she sends them to me I will share. Be on the lookout for a another post soon.

Love to All,
Bethany

A No Picture Post...Sorry!

I know...I know...You guys don't like posts without pictures, but I have been horrible about carrying my camera around with me. I am trying to remember what we have been up to, but in honesty I can't remember. We have been going non-stop though...because I am extremely tired!!! We are hosting two wedding showers at our home in the next couple of weeks so we have been busy preparing our house and yard for these special occasions. Shea is building a deck off from the swimming pool and I have been busy planting beautiful flowers.

Since the last time I posted with have had a crawfish boil at our house with our Sunday School class...YUM! YUM! Shea did a great job with cooking the crawfish. I have also been busy playing lots of tennis and trying to get back in shape. Getting in shape is much harder than it sounds!!! HAHA! All of my extra time (the little that is left) has been used to helping my sister in law and niece open a gift shop in Sumrall. The new store is Nellbaby's and will be opening in the middle of April! We are all excited and I will post pictures of the store soon and give more details.

This week again is a busy one...last night we celebrated a co-worker's birthday, tonight is tennis, tomorrow is usually church but we are not having it this week due to Spring Break, Thursday is tennis again...and then Shea and I are going to Philadelphia, MS to see Willie Nelson and Jamey Johnson in concert.

Now for the most exciting news...

On March 29th our church family will vote on a new preacher...Sean Michael Lucas from St.Louis, MO. Shea and I are exciting about this news and are anxiously waiting to meet him. Our friends Ramona and Wade know him well and have told us many great things about him and his family.

I promise next post will have pictures...

Bethany

Just an Update...

I realized that I hadn't posted in a month or so...I can't say that we have been doing a lot but here a few pictures...

Below are Gunner & Cannon Loftin. You may remember them from November. These twins were in the NICU with Mary Glenn and also their parents are close friends to Shea & I. Also there is a picture of the office girls from a recent Friday when we all wore red for the Heart Association.





The last Saturday in January my sister had some friends over for a bonfire and Shea and his friend Jeremy played guitars. It was ALOT of fun. Shea and Jeremy love to play together...







This past weekend Shea's friend and partner with work got married in Destin. Our friends Lorin & Shawn Jones went with us to the beach and we stayed in a beautiful condo...Thanks David! We had a GREAT weekend getaway. Congratulations to Kyle and Stacie. The weekend was perfect for a wedding...the sun was shining and the setting on the beach was picture perfect. Friday night we had a fun time at Rum Rummers in Baytowne Wharf and Satuday night our age showed as we ate and then went back to the condo!!!! Too Funny!






On a different note lately I have had a lot of people ask how Shea and I are doing and if we have seen the doctor and our plans for the future in regards to children. Shea and I are doing well and we are very fortunate to have the love and support from friends and family. I still have moments, but I think that is normal. I often think of the "what ifs" and it gives me an array of different emotions. What if Mary Glenn wasn't sick and she was with me now...what would I be doing? What would she be like? Or what if Shea and I can't have anymore children...what if the Lord's will is to not have anymore. Or I will hear someone complain about how their child didn't sleep or cried all night...I think to myself if only I had that problem. I want so badly to stop them and say be thankful...but I don't...I keep my comments to myself. When these emotions over take my every thought I turn it over. I can not tell you how many times during the coarse of a day I say..."Dear Lord - HELP!" That is the only thing that I know to do. I ask the Lord to take over and give my mind a rest. I know that God's plan is bigger and better than anything that Shea or I could imagine, but it is still so difficult to accept when I am a control freak. I like to plan it out accordingly and this I can't. Shea and I did go back to see Dr. Benton in January. After discussions with Dr. Benton, neonatologists at Forrest General, and Dr. Perry in Jackson we do not feel that genetic testing is necessary. We will turn it over to God and let him do His work through us. We will have faith in our Lord. The doctors do not feel that I am at any higher risk with a second pregnancy. So...I know what you all are thinking. When will y'all start trying to have a baby. Well, Shea and I defintiely want children soon. I have to give my body time to heal from my preganacy with Mary Glenn. When the time is right we will try and see what the Lord as in store for us. I keep trying to tell myself that the Lord may not want us to have a child...he may have a different plan. So if the good Lord willing...Shea and I will have another baby...when...I can't answer that...just in God's timing. In saying all of this I ask each of you to say a prayer for Shea and I to help us prepare for our future...whatever that may be...

I hope you all are doing well in the blog world.

Much Love!
Bethany