Blizzard Fun

So I had to find some ways to keep the little man occupied during these past 5 days of being snowed in... the one day that we did get out I bought some poster board paper for him to finger paint on. We made Valentines gifts for the grandparents and for daddy. He did such a good job, and as you can tell, Mommy got in the action too!

We also made sugar cookies -- no, not homemade ones but rather from good ol' Betty Crocker. Abraham added his sprinkles to them and they turned out pretty good.

I don't know what I'd do if I had to entertain him for much longer...

23 weeks and growing!

Abraham's finished bedroom

It's amazing what natural light can show you when you are painting. After the sun decided to come out full force today, I was able to see the spots where the wall color underneath hadn't been covered well. I spent a lot of time touching up areas like the top of the wall and some in the middle as well. But I was determined to do it, and do it WELL! (must be my daddy in me! Thanks Dad!)

Anyhow, I finished the painting and then enlisted Abraham's help to move all the stuff out of the nursery into his "new blue" room. He was actually a better helper with the moving than with the painting! :) We got it all in and organized and then Mommy collapsed on the couch for a rest! :)

I hope to get the nursery done tomorrow (and secretly hope to get the bathroom done too!) This nesting instinct is for the "birds"! HA!

Painting

Abraham and I made the best of our snow day. I finally bought the paint for his room and the nursery, so we were ready to begin. I was a bit apprehensive about having a 4 year old "help" me paint but actually, he did a half way decent job... and it actually WAS helpful! He got tired half way through the day but that was okay. Got more done without him under foot.

Glad that he still likes hanging with Momma.. wonder how long THAT will last?? :)

Blizzard of 2010 - Enough Already!

Enough already!

The meterologists started on Tuesday predicting that the storm of the century would be here by Friday noon. Everyone in Bel Air, in a mass hysteria, hit the grocery stores to stock up. I on the other hand chose to wait until Thursday after school to go to the grocery store. Yea, bad choice. After I fought the hundreds of people in Giant and spent nearly 20 minutes waiting to check out, I hit Redbox where I had reserved my movies for the next few days.

Just like the meterologists said, the snow started Friday afternoon - wet at first and not sticking but very quickly changing to a heavy, wet snow that stuck. Snowed all Friday - and all Saturday(today) stopping around 4:00pm or so.

The final official measurement at BWI airport was 23.60" of snow!! I think we had more than that here but oh well!

It has been a very long time since I have seen this much snow - and never for Michael and Abraham. We had to call one of Michael's plowing guys to take a run on our neighborhood street so that Michael could get out and check his properties. When he got back in, he said that he saw more stuck cars than he had on Friday. Guess people got a bit over zealous and thought they could make it out -- sorry charlie! The drifts and piles are a good 4 feet tall in some places. Plows are working mainly on the primary roads - secondary roads aren't being touched.

I predict that if they can't get the roads clear by Monday night then we'll have off of school for the whole week. Since we are expecting another storm that is to bring 3-6" of snow on top of what we already have.

Have I said lately that I have had enough snow? Enough already!!

View out our back deck

Out the side door

On the back porch - it was nearly up to my waist.


Michael shoveling like a good husband and daddy!


He had a little too much fun throwing "snowballs" at
Daddy and Mommy!


Abraham climbed over a pile the plow made and got stuck.
Daddy to the rescue!

I've fallen and I can't get up! :)

Making his own seat by the front door

Mommy and Abraham in the snow

Baby BOY Ragan!

I have had 2 sonograms since I last posted about Baby Ragan so I thought I'd put them on here with everything else. We did find out, very clearly, that we are having another BOY! All of us are very excited to add another boy to our family.

Baby is doing wonderfully! He has been somewhat cooperative for the sonograms. He is growing at just the right rate and everything is just perfect with him.

I am feeling pretty good. I am just getting tired more easily. It is totally amazing to me to feel him move all around in my belly! I can't wait to see the look on Abraham's face when he can feel Baby moving too!

Forgive the poor quality of pictures but our scanner isn't plugged in yet.

I think the pictures are self explanatory!

Even though it was still pretty chilly out today, it was a gorgeous day without any precipitation. So while Daddy was fishing Abraham and I hit the playground. He just about wore me out!

I love being with my little man! If #2 is as sweet and good of a boy as Abraham is (most days!), we'll be set.

Family Visits

Two of Michael's sisters made it up to see us and the new house this month. First up was Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Kevin. Abraham LOVED having 2 new people around to play with.. although I'm afraid that he just about wore them out!!

Then Emily came up and the highlight of that for Abraham was typing on her computer, something that she taught him to do when he was 2!!

We took Emily and her friend Kaitlin down to the Inner Harbor to walk around and see the sights. And of course had to hit Fells Point for all the cool shops and restaurants.

Abraham on the cannon

Family Shot - Don't ask me what my boys are doing!! Goofy as usual :)


If you are in Baltimore you MUST try on a crab hat or buy a t-shirt that says "Don't bother me! I'm crabby!

We are looking forward to MORE of our GA family to come and visit -- Hint, hint y'all!!!

Moving Day!

We had planned to move to the new house before Christmas but the weather had other plans for us - about 20 inches of snow put a halt to any moving. We ended up moving right after Christmas. All of us were definitely eager to get in and start to get settled. These are just a few of our "moving" pictures.

Abraham was actually a pretty good helper... better than Mommy. I couldn't lift much at all!

He LOVED the moving truck!

First night in the new house -- without heat!! Can you see the icicles on our noses?? (as Abraham put it!)

Baby Ragan -- 13 1/2 weeks

We had a more in depth sonogram this past Friday at GBMC hospital where the boys were born. They were looking for anything that might be out of the ordinary with this baby. An answer to prayer- Baby is growing absolutely perfectly with all his/her parts and nothing extra! We are thankful that this is another item off the list of "to-think-abouts". Praising the Father for His continued care of me and this Baby.

This picture below is actually a 3D picture of Baby. If you look closely, you can sort of see that it's an aerial shot and Baby's right arm is up by his head. The bright white spot is about where his belly button would be. There are eye and ear buds forming. It is absolutely amazing to me that they can see all the parts when Baby is only about 3 1/2 inches long! What an amazing Creator God we have!

13 1/2 weeks along - 3 1/2 inches long

Santa Claus visits Giant food stores!

Abraham and I went food shopping today at Giant and look who we ran into on our way into the store!!! Abraham climbed right up in his lap and started talking away! This Santa actually had a personality and went right along with Abraham's nonsense! He was a happy boy!

Remembering Moses and celebrating new life

Four years ago today, we released Moses to the loving care of our Heavenly Father. It is something that I would never wish on any parent. The loss of a child, no matter how old, is devastating. It's nothing that you can ever get over. Nothing that you can ever forget. But you know what... I don't WANT to get over or forget him. It's the remembering that keeps Moses' life and memory alive to me.

For the past 2 months, there has been a little boy at school named Jackson. Jackson is 8 years old and has Downs Syndrome. The first day I met Jackson I bent down to say hi and he responded by giving me a bear hug. In an instant, I felt this was my touch of heaven from the Father. It was as if Moses was hugging me. Today, Jackson was taken from our school to move with his mother to another state. My touch of heaven is gone. It seems ironic to me that Jackson is gone on this day. I don't know but I kinda feel that God had Jackson at RFE for ME. That he was there to get me through today, specifically. There were many days I'd look at Jackson and smile, something he did that made me laugh. He is a sweet little boy.

I don't know how much truth there is to that -- but that's what I'm believing today. Proof to my sad mommy heart that HE knows my emotions and cares.


Today I remember and honor Moses' short life --- and I celebrate the new life that the Father has allowed to grow within me!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Abraham and I are enjoying a relaxing, lazy Thanksgiving morning today. We slept in, made a breakfast of eggs and pancakes and have been watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the past 2 hours. It has been a nice morning, although Daddy isn't with us cause he went fishing :( We are missing him. But Abraham and I have been talking all morning about those things that we are thankful for. Here are a few things that have come up in conversation:

- clothes
- house
- healthy heart
- eyes, ears, mouth
- toys
- friends
- our family
- our new baby!
- Daddy and Momma
- Abraham
- strong muscles
- food
- Mustangs! :)
- Mommy and Daddy's good jobs

We are eternally thankful for all the blessings that God has given to our family. He is good all the time! We thank HIM for you and for the blessings that you are in our lives.
What are YOU thankful for today??

Prayer Request

Please pray!

We put a bid on this totally cute Rancher yesterday and are waiting to hear back from the sellers. This house is perfect for us - 4 bedrooms, hard wood floors, great yard, basement, and is in move in condition. Please pray with us that if this is the place God has for us that all will go smoothly. Thanks! :)

Birthday Pictures

My mom and I went to Picture People today and had Abraham's 4 year old pictures taken. Oh my head! I don't know whose child this is but he was quite the comedian. He had the photographer in stitches! There were quite a few to choose from, of course, but these are the 3 we came away with.

Ahh.. my sweet boy. Where have these 4 years gone? Weren't you just my 4 lb 6 oz baby boy coming home from the hospital? You have grown so much and have become such a big boy. I am proud of the boy you have become. I look forward to many more years of being your Momma! :)

Answered prayers for Stellan

Unexpectedly this sweet little boy above, Stellan from MckMomma's blog, had to have heart surgery today. His heart completely stopped much to his momma's horror and the doctor decided it was the time to perform surgery to stop his SVT.

What an answer to prayer all the saints got a little while ago when MckMomma posted this post about Stellan's miracle!

Thank you Father for the way that you have met this family in their moment of need and answered their biggest prayers for their sweet boy. You are truly the Great Physician and we rejoice that you saw fit to heal Stellan! Go God!! :)

The Ragan 3 + 1 more in June!!

Our Heavenly Father has seen fit to bless our family yet again with another baby! We are due in early June - I'm about 9+ weeks now. He allowed us to get pregnant without medical intervention, for which I am very grateful for :) Please pray with us for an "uneventful, normal" pregnancy (whatever that might look like!)

Most recent Sonogram - November 4, 2009

Second Sonogram - October 28, 2009

First Sonogram - October 14, 2009

Happy 4th Birthday Abraham!

We celebrated Abraham's birthday last weekend at Chuck E. Cheese - kids love it, parents hate it! :)

Abraham's friends from day care were able to come as well as his "best friends", his cousins Alex and Chloe. We had fun playing on all the games and eating chocolate cake. He got lots of great presents -- more cars, just what the boy needs :) It was a fun afternoon.

Daddy and Abraham playing air hockey

Cameron, Abraham and Keagan


Yes, it's MY birthday!

High fiving Mimi - they share a bday so we sang to them both.

James and Nicholas got Abraham this really cool green Mustang that plays "Life is a Highway" which is one of Abraham's favorite songs.

Cousins!


Momma, me and Kari

Family hug :)