How to Make a Knitted Hat (Nehemiah's Hat)

 I bought this kit at Wal-mart.

 The size yarn to use is between size 3-5.

 Make a loop

 and tie it around the knob,

 loop the yarn around the prongs,

 once you have went around one time,

 go around one more time,

 tie it off on the knob again,

 hook the bottom over the top yarn

 and over the peg,

 push the yarn down a little bit.

 Start looping the yarn around the pegs again 

and repeat the steps above.

Once you have gone around about 4-5 times,

untie the tail from the knob & let it hang.

 Once you get 4-5 inches long

 cut the tail about 3 inches long.

 Thread the yarn thru the blue needle.

 Pull the needle thru each hoop

 and pull the yarn off of the peg.

 I thread mine thru one more time 

and then pull tight.

 Tie a knot two times so that it will

not come undone.

 Pull the yarn thru the inside of the hat

and cut off.

 Take the tail and thread into the needle.

 Stitch upward thru the stitch

 as far as you think you need to go.

 Turn the hat inside out and take off

needle and cut excess off.

 You are done!

You can roll the bottom of the hat up and down depending on how small you need to make it. I have read on other sites about making clothes for preemies and babies that have passed away, not to use yellow yarn as it will make the baby look bad. If you have any questions, please comment and I will respond.

Nehemiah's Hats

I am getting ready for our second annual delivery of Nehemiah's Hats. I have almost doubled what I made last year, so I believe I will be able to donate to both hospitals' NICUs.

It is just hard to believe that this year will be 5 years since our precious baby became an angel.

Here is a preview of what I have so far...still knitting away.

I think when I have some free time I may do a step-by-step instruction post. I did buy a smaller loom this year, but the hats are really teeny..think I might make some of those if I have time that they can give to the tiniest of babies.

I got some ideas from a blog I fell upon this evening, click here. I might try these next year. I will keep yall posted of what is next! 

Sunday Share Day #10

Sunday Share Day #9

Sunday Share Day #8

Sunday Share Day #7

I know I missed a few weeks, but I thought I better pick up where I left off...

 

1st Day of School 2012

Today was the first day of school here in our town. 

My oldest daughter is a freshman in high school this year. It is really hard to believe, since I still remember dropping her off for her first day of Kindergarten. My baby girl is in the 4th grade. Which means she will only have one more year of elementary before she starts middle school. 

Time really does fly by!

Here are a few pictures to share of my gorgeous girls' first day of school..

Sunday Share Day #6

Five Years Ago - Aug. 22, 2007

This appointment was rather scary. I had had a nightmare the night before that we would be told you were gone.

When Dr. H tried to hear your heartbeat with the doppler, nothing could be heard. She sent us directly across the street to have a sonogram done just to check on things. 

When the tech put the probe on my belly, I kept my eyes on the ceiling & held my breath. When he said, "There he is! No wonder you all could not hear him, he is all over the place!"

I nearly jumped off of the table to give him a hug!

You looked like a fish in water, moving your hands & legs every which way...kind of like "Hey Mom & Dad! I am here & I am excited to be your baby!"

Sunday Share Day #5

Sunday Share Day #4

Sunday Share Day #3

5 Years Ago - Aug. 1, 2007

Five years ago this morning, I went to my first appointment. Your daddy had to work, so I went alone. 

As soon as she put the probe onto my uterus, there you were! This is the day we told everyone (except our parents, they already knew) we were pregnant! 

Sunday Share Day #2

Shut UP And Listen!

I had started walk/running the week before last and things were going great. I had got sick a few days in, so I took a few days as my off days. I woke up the morning I had planned to start up again with my knee hurting.

It started out feeling like a small bruise just below my knee cap. Right away I started to ice it and put heat on it. I tried walking it out, but it just seemed to get worse every day. Finally, I decided to go to the doctor yesterday. I received x-rays and it was determined that I had serious inflammation. I was given a prescription, a form of arthritis medication, and instructed to continue using ice and heat.

After I got home I began to think about how it took me over a week to go in and be seen. Which in turn means I am over a week behind getting to my goal. My goal to lose weight and get into shape, my goal to be able to run in the March for Babies 5k next April. I got mad at myself! Why didn't I go sooner!?!? I always wait to go to the doctor. Last time I was on the verge of pneumonia. You would think I would have learned my lesson by now.

Then it came to me that we do this every day in our lives. We hurt, we stress, we grieve, all on our own thinking, "I can handle this". We have a Father who loves us and wants us to come to Him. We usually do not turn to Him for guidance until it is too late and then what do we do? We blame Him!

That is why we must pray, meditate, Shut UP And Listen!

Please pray my knee gets better. I hope to be up and running by next week.







"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 35:8

Sunday Share Day #1

I saw a cute idea on another blog and decided it would be really neat to do here. Something different and exciting!

Here goes:

 You will never know what you will see here!!

*The photos were taken & edited on my phone using Instagram and the collage with words was made on PicMonkey. My two obsessions of the moment..

Update

I started run/walk this Tuesday to get into shape and so that I can run in the March for Babies 5K this coming April. I am on day three today.

I had been putting it off with the "I will get to it tomorrow" kick. My dad is going to do it with me, but before I run with anyone I wanted to see how far I can get on my own and to make sure I do not look silly and can run without passing out or tripping over my own feet. 

Well, I do not feel silly (except that I cannot go very far at one time and have to walk) and I have not passed out or tripped over my own feet (not yet).  

 This little beauty has been on my path everyday that I have ran and today I decided to snap a picture tonight...I believe it is a little gift from my angel letting me know he is proud of me!

Verse for Today

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." Psalm 30:11-12

 

 

 

5 Years Ago - July 10, 2007

Five years ago today, the day before your daddy's birthday, we told our parents that we were expecting our third child!

I cannot believe it has been 5 years since I had you growing inside of me; forming into a little being that could ultimately cure cancer or AIDS.  

Little did we know, that we would only have 5 short months with you... 

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

Reminiscing.. Will You Join?

It is hard to believe that this October will be 5 years since our little baby became an angel!

I have decided to do something special with my blog starting this month. I worn you though, it is going to get intense & very descriptive.

When I was first going through my grief, I had the worst nightmares. I decided if I wrote every feeling, every question, every fear, every everything down, that it would get out of my head. I never went back to reread anything I have written...until now. 

I hope you enjoy this part of the story, the hard parts, the sad parts, the long parts, the short parts...all of it!

I do have to admit, I will be adding bible versed to the end of each posts. These were not in my journal, but what pop in my head now.






"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." Psalm 126:5

I Get So Emotional

Those words remind of a song... "I get so emotional, Baby, every time I think of you" ..obviously only that part of the song.

It is hard to imagine this coming October my sweet baby has been gone from my world for 5 years. 

I have been reading a lot of different stories from parents who have lost children. In some of the stories posted, they say that the hardest year for them was the 2nd. Well, for me, I feel like this year is going hard for me. I am not too sure why. Everything in my life is going so good right now. 

God has continued to bless me every single day. I praise Him every morning & let Him know that if today is my last, I am prepared. As well as thank Him for my time & for my life & love that I have given & received. 

It is just in the last few weeks I have been wanting to cry over everything. I have that smell in my nose every so often. As if he is dancing or running in circles around me. I am not sure if my oldest daughter going into high school is making me emotional & then that makes me think of Nehemiah. 

I just cannot help but think that February 2013 my precious baby would have celebrated his 5th birthday & then starting kindergarten the following school year. It does make me tear up & sad. 

I am planning something special here on my blog that will start in a few weeks time. It is something that I have planned just for my precious baby's 5th angelversary & cannot wait to share. I am a little nervous, but I think it will be great.

Well, I am going to go to bed & meet my precious angel in my dreams.   

Summer Time

It is summer time, my kids are out of school & enjoying staying up late & getting to sleep in. 

I remember summer break when I was a kid. Staying outside into the dark to play hide-n-seek with the neighbor kids. Sitting on our porch laughing & catching June bugs that flew around us in the porch light. Just getting to be a kid...

Going camping at least once before school started up again & getting to go visit family we hadn't seen since the holidays.

Those were the days...

I hope to make my children's summers memorable. We usually try to take a family vacation or go do something fun before the school year starts. We have cookouts with family or hang out at the park. Or we just hang out at the pool at our apartment. 

Most of our family lives here in the same city, so we do not get to travel too far. My oldest brother & his family lives about 6 hours away & sometimes we get to see them at least once during the summer. 

My kids will never get to know what it is like to pack up at 5:00am into a Buick, with one kid in the back window, one laying across the backseat & one laying in the floorboard on a makeshift bed. Singing silly songs as we go along for the ride. 

Nowadays, riding in the back window is frowned upon...lol

I would love to hear of others' summer time traditions. 

I Will Carry You (lyrics)

There were photographs I wanted to take
Things I wanted to show you
Sing sweet lullabies wipe your teary eyes
Who could love you like this 

People say that I am brave but I`m not
Truth is I`m barely hanging on
But there`s a greater story
Written long before me
Because He loves you like this

So I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming years
I will carry you
All my life
And I will praise the one who`s chosen me
To carry you

Such a short time
Such a long road
All this madness
But I know
That the silence
Has brought me to His voice
And He says

I've shown her photographs of time beginning
Walked her through the parted seas
Angel lullabies no more teary eyes
Who could love her like this?

I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming years
I will carry you
All your life
And i will praise the one who`s chosen me
To carry you 

~written by SELAH

The Loves of My Life

 My Princess

 My Sunshine

My Little Man

Mother's Day!

Mother's Day, yesterday, was spectacular! 

Every year my mom treats my grandma, aunt, cousin, sister-in-love & myself to lunch at Texas Roadhouse. This year was no different.

Beforehand, my girls & I went to church & then I dropped them off to head out to my annual Mother's Day lunch. Afterward we went to my mother-in-love's house for a late lunch. We met our newest nephew & we had a great time together. 

I love Mother's Day! It reminds me of the precious beings I created, with the help of God of course. I love the little handmade cards I get from my girls. They always make me laugh, the spelling of certain words & the words they use to describe me & our relationship. 

God must have known what He was doing giving me these children because each one is special to me & I am in love with each one of them. I am not ready for my oldest, Andrea, to be in high school & before I know it, she will be starting college & possibly living on her own. When I talk to her about this & how I want to cry, she just says, "OH MOM! It isn't that serious!"

I guess in the meantime I will hold their hands & lead them through childhood for as long as I can. Or, I could invest in the lottery & when I win I can buy a huge mansion where my children & their future spouses & then their children can all live with me & I never have to worry about them ever leaving.... Ok, is that too much? What would Andrea say?

I Am Super Excited Today!

My big brother, THIS GUY RIGHT HERE

 is graduating with a BA in Humanities this morning!

He is one goofy, fun loving, spiritual, heck of a guy!

I love my big brother & he is truly the Wind Beneath My Wings!

p.s. I told you to smile... 

Why I Fight!

As you all already know, the past 4 years I have walk in the March for Babies & I am always talking about how it is my passion! Well, today I would like to share a little bit more about why I am part of this great organization!

A few close friends:

 

This is my sweet friend Nancy; we actually met through the March of Dimes. 

Her precious Bubbas was born @ 28weeks on November 3, 2008. He was in the NICU for 4 months  & had to have numerous surgeries. Unfortunately, he passed January 3, 2010. 

 These are our dear friends Blakni & John; I went to HS with Blakni & JD went to HS with John. 

Their baby girl Kinley Grace was diagnosed with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. She came sooner than expected & her condition was worse than expected. She lived for 2 hours & 37 minutes; they only got about 10 minutes with her before she passed.

As a mother, I believe we have to stick together & be the voice of our angel children. If my participation with the March of Dimes can prevent families of future heartbreak, then I am willing to keep fighting!