And yet, His compassions never fail.

The last 4 days have been really hard. Mitch and I have experienced great loss. If you are reading this and are our close family and/or friends, please know that reading this is just the same as hearing it straight from our mouths. We find it hard to call and explain because the heart-ache is so fresh. 

We had been so excited to soon share with family and friends that we were expecting in November. On Wednesday of this past week we went to a greatly anticipated OB appointment. We couldn't wait to see our baby. To bring home the ultrasound pictures so Scarlett could see the 'baby growing in mommy's tummy' we have been telling her about and have prayed with her about night after night over the past weeks. We were 10.5 weeks pregnant. However the ultrasound revealed that our baby no longer had a heartbeat. Our baby is with the Lord -- our little glory baby.   

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.   
2 Corinthians 5:6-8

I had a D&C on Friday morning and am trying to recover physically.

As I explained to Mitch why I wanted to type this post, I was telling him how overwhelmed I feel by God's compassion toward us. While I will never understand this loss that we have now experienced twice, I know His ways are good and that His thoughts about us are like the grains of sand on the earth. We are grieving what could have been. I put away Scarlett's "big sister" jammies, for now. We are trusting our Faithful Father to comfort us. Will you please pray for us?

We have been so surrounded by the kindness of close friends and family. Thank you! We love you.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. 
Lamentations 3:22-23

Jumanji.

Do you remember that movie from 1995 where the kids simply try to play a little board game and it ends up turing their entire house into a jungle filled with wild animals?  It's a little foggy seeing as I was in the 5th grade when it came out, but I am pretty sure our house got the closest to Jumanji it has gotten in a while. Mitch's schedule was nuts and it's not over just yet. Lots of late nights, weekends, etc. I have no room to complain what-so-ever, but I will just say that I really feel for single moms. His final culminating day is tomorrow. He will take his clinical boards with 2 live patients in the morning and then have his work examined. I am confident that he can do it... his patients just need to show up! I am praying that the day goes extremely smoothly for him and am thanking God for being present all the way until the end...

On a lighter note, our yard truly did look like a jungle as of this afternoon. I am sure our neighbors were  beginning to wonder if we were trying to let our grass grow so we could cut and sell hay for a little extra money. Thankfully, after a trip to Lowe's this morning and lots of labor this afternoon, it is looking tons better. Scarlett loved laying in the backyard, maybe because the grass seemed so fluffy. It wasn't a far landing for her either since it was already up to her little back! 

 This expression on her face was cracking me up. It was like, "I think this is comfortable?" 

She loves flowers. It is so sweet to see how excited she is even in finding a dandelion to pick and admire. 

She seems so grown up lately. We are in constant conversation and I catch about 90% of what she says to me. It is funny to watch people's faces when we are in a store because she talks to everyone. Often they look at me and say, "I'm sorry, what is she saying?" I got this line from my Dad after he spent some time in public with SJ: Well, she talks a lot these days but just says a little. Some smart and hilarious things she has been saying lately are: "I with you?", "I eat and mommy eat and daddy eat", "Why?", "Scarlett walk-walk Callie?", and various other things that have inconveniently left my mind...

SJ was the master waterer during all of our yard work today. She did a great job making sure all of the plants stayed hydrated... and she was soaked by sundown. 

Thanks for checking-in to see what we have been up to! 

Wordless Wednesday (or maybe not so much)

Daddy's boots

The nurse gave me a couple handouts as usual during SJ's check-up yesterday. I sat down to read through them... who knew I would end up with tears in my eyes. I will just say this -- I don't want to wish I could go back... I want to "live it up" today!
 Here is a sweet poem our pediatrician includes for parents at their child's 2-year-old physical. 

~~~ TO MY GROWN-UP-CHILD ~~~

My hands were busy through the day;
I didn't have much time to play
The little games you asked me to.
I didn't have much time for you,
I'd wash your clothes,  I'd sew and cook,
But when you'd bring your picture book
And ask me please to share your play
I'd say: "A little later in the day."
I'd tuck you in all safe at night
And hear your prayers, turn out the light, 

Then tip-toe softly to the door...
I'd wish I'd stayed a little more.
For life is short, the years rush past...

A little child grows so fast.
They are no longer at your side.
Their precious secrets to confide.
The picture books are put away.
There are no longer games to play, 

No good-night kiss, no prayers to hear... 

That all belongs to yesteryear.
My hands, once busy, now are still.
The days are long and hard to fill.
I wish I could go back and do 

The little things you asked me to.
- Anonymous

2-year check-up and lunch date.

Our sweet Scarlett got a great report today at her 2-year old physical. She has always been a big, healthy girl. Just perfect in our eyes. She grew 2.5 inches and gained 2 pounds since her check-up at 18 months. Here are her stats for mommy's records: height 37 inches (>95%) and weight 30 lbs (>95%)

She is such a little joy, but oh the moments of her being a little rascal are becoming greater. She is not outright defiant by any means, just very certain that she wants to do things her way. I can relate. Ha! I just sat there with her in the exam room waiting for our pediatrician to come in and it still amazes me how quickly she has grown. I feel like she is still a baby. I love our pediatrician so much. I can honestly say he has never mis-guided me. Whenever I do things just as he tells me to it is always 50 times easier then when I decide to do it my way. I could give examples, but I would need a whole post for that. Anyhow, he brought up potty training and that just got my mind going. I feel like by the time Scarlett is 3-years-old I have got so much to accomplish with her. Potty training, getting rid of her paci (or "bappy" as she calls it) which she loves, moving her to a big girl bed, etc. I almost started to feel like I needed to make a list of tasks to execute. And then I read a blog I love, Kelly's Korner. Kelly's post today was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. If you are a mommy of a toddler or really of a child of any age, pop over and read it. I was encouraged and I think you will be too. 

After our appointment we ran into Kroger to grab the ingredients for tonight's dinner (trying something new!) and then met Kristin and Kingston for lunch. I just love our little lunch dates. Bless Kingston's heart, there is a lot of girl-talk that goes on. 

It looks like we cleared out the place.... ha!

Mitch warned me that this week was going to be a tough one. I am feeling it already. I am writing this to remind myself that we have gotten through crazier times and I am sure there are more ahead. Only 19 days until graduation, but hey who is counting? 

Sunday girly girl.

The Sunday morning rush is very familiar here in the Owen house. We were in typical "get out the door quickly" mode when Scarlett presented herself ready to go in this...

A tutu had replaced the skirt of her church dress. We laughed and laughed because she had to go in her room, open her closet, get this tutu down off the rack, off the hanger and onto her little body in order to walk into the living room to present to us her new ensemble. Needless to say, we got some good twirls in before heading out the door, but this was not part of her church attire. Not today at least. 

It is a gorgeous day here! We grabbed some sandwiches after church and spread out our picnic blanket under a shade tree. It was lovely. 

SJ felt it was necessary to continually test both Mommy and Daddy's drinks.

She certainly got her wiggles out "hopping" like the birds and even decided she might need to nap in the grass...

 I am happy to report that I am finally up-to-date on all of our happenings from Mitch's final Spring Break. For my special readers (and you know who you are!), here is a list of those posts for easy viewing:

Back to the Beach
How about those Kentucky Wildcats!!!!!
A few "framers" and special visitors.
SJ Turns 2... Party Time!!!

Happy Easter!

Hello and Happy Easter to you! We are back from the beach and I kind of feel like saying "what day is it?" if it weren't for it being Easter Sunday. We didn't get to bed last night until almost 4:00 am after a long day of driving in the car with a 2-year-old. Whew. Our last Spring Break was really nice though. I am very thankful for my precious husband because he got us up and encouraged me to look past the dark circles under my eyes and go celebrate that Jesus ROSE!! I cried pretty much through the whole service because I am overwhelmed by the gift of Jesus' blood to cover me, a retched sinner who deserves to wallow in my sin. Seriously, the Son of God died for you and me. Amazing, today and everyday. 

Scarlett and I sported matching dresses for Easter.... something that is so fun to do as a mother and daughter ;) We got them from this darling store in our hometown called Rabbit in the Moon

SJ enjoyed a quick egg hunt before we headed back home to hit the grindstone for the last month of Mitch's dental school career. Oh, about that, this last month is going to be a doozy. 

This is when she realized there are M&M's in the eggs! SJ loves some "emmies"

I have lots of back-posts to do especially since our very special girl turned 2 on Friday! Hoping you had a fantastic Easter weekend with those you love.

SJ turns 2... Party time!!!

Warning: This post has LOTS and LOTS of photos! 

We had SUCH a fun time on Scarlett's 2nd birthday! The whole day was full and wonderful. Here is how it went...

A "happy" (cupcake) with breakfast :)

We loaded up and drove to a special fishing spot on the beach.

The sandbar was really close to the shoreline so we walked and looked for little creatures.

Our seashell expert at work...

Mitch laughs at this picture. I am actually not even sure who took it. Clearly I was made for shade. Ha! 

And so is my little SJ...

She was very good about helping Boo with his SPF application. 

Our girl is still not a sand lover... But Nonni and Boo help her try to keep testing it out. 

Boo -- Simply the best.

And then the THRILL of our morning... Mitch caught a fish! A big one. 

His faithful assistant Chaz grabbed it out of the surf for him. 

Yea buddy!!!!

That was the icing on top of our great morning. So we headed in for a lunch party! 

~~~~~ Party Time ~~~~~

Daddy and Mommy with the birthday girl.

Sweet reactions to her generous gifts....

"Dig-dig" legos from Aunt RyRy.

Lady from Daddy. 

"Super powers headbands" from Uncle Chaz in order to operate her laptop from Nonni and Boo. Ha! 

"Happy" #2 

Posing with our respective mer-people...

Probably the funniest line from the party came from Boo: "Why is there a devil on my cupcake?"

Uncle Chaz and Aunt RyRy

I did not capture all of the decor, but here is some...

Sweet Scarlett Jean -- If you read this years from now, I want you to know how much we enjoyed celebrating you today. The past 2 years have been filled with joy because of YOU. We thank God for giving us such a precious little girl. We hope you always know just how loved you are.