Can it be Christmas yet!?

I feel like a bad blogger....BUT i have been insanely busy and its only about to get worse. My classes are going great, Chris' classes start back on Monday, and the boys are doing so well with all of the business. I am going to double up my classes again this time to get them out of the way. I am hoping to graduate a semester earlier than planned but we will see. I just cannot wait. I REALLY cant wait for Chris to graduate too. It will make my life a whole lot easier when Chris can be home every evening and I can get more done with my school, but for now we are making it work! The key to our success is sticking to the schedule!
Well, the summer is over and fall is well in play! Halloween is on Monday! The base actually does its trick-or-treating on the weekend though so we will be taking the boys out on Saturday evening. This works out great for us because if we had to go out on Monday Daddy wouldn't be able to join us because he will be in school :(. Well, I for one am SO excited about the boys costumes this year :) They are going to be too cute.
So pretty much, I don't know if anyone is as excited about Christmas as I am. I am ready to put out all of my decorations and start wrapping gifts! Its not even Halloween yet and I already have everyone's gifts picked out for our whole family and extended. This will be Cay's FIRST Christmas! I am so blessed to have beautiful healthy little boys. They are the greatest gift of all!
A friend of mine back home made some adorable Christmas shirts for the boys! If you would like to order one from her I am sure she would love to make one for your little ones! Her website for them is http://www.facebook.com/overthemoonbabyboutique and her outfits are adorable!
Thats all for now!
Much love and God bless!
Sarah

Phil 4:19

So we just got back from vacation which we have been saving for for over 6 months. We had a blast being with family and friends, eating out at our favorite restaurants, and basically doing whatever we wanted to do the whole time. Well, of course when we get home after we have just spent a lot of money traveling, something happens to the car which is going to be costly. I will spare you of the boring car details of which I do not understand because I am mechanically retarded BUT lets just say it was going to be a lot of money. We have the money but it was just going to be basically the bottom of our savings with the month long trip that we went on AND the car repair which of course would make any mother uncomfortable. THANKFULLY, Chris has a friend here who is pretty handy when it comes to car repair. All in all, it cost us a plate of spaghetti (which I cooked and made the sauce from scratch) and a couple of pieces of garlic toast. He fixed the car and its working perfectly and all we had to do was feed him lunch. Praise God for friends like this especially in times of need. God always provides!
It is so wonderful that we have the Biblical promise that God will provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19)
Much love and God bless!
Sarah

Well our vacation home was so amazing! It was so nice to see family and friends that we have not seen in a while. I wish I would have been able to see everyone that we had hoped to see but of course life happens. Our trip was crazy but so much fun. We flew to Dallas and spent almost a week with my dad and grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was so nice being around family. We really miss out on the family stuff living so far away from everyone. After our trip to Dallas we went home for a few days to Lubbock and got to spend Chris' dad's birthday with him. We then went to Alamogordo to see my mother and bobby. My brother and sister in law , Gerianne then met us there and we drove to Colorado to our ranch in Vallecito Valley. It could not have been any more beautiful up there. My mother grew up there, i grew up there, and now i get to take my own children up there so they might have some of the same childhood experiences that I had. While we were in CO, we go to go eat dinner with my uncle, aunt, and cousins. It was so good to see them as well. After all of that traveling, we finally made it back to Lubbock to spend the last remaining 10 days of our trip there. We enjoyed being with family and friends and cant wait to move back home in a few years. It will be exciting when we no longer have to say goodbye to the ones that we love and and know that we wont get to see them again for at least a year. BUT the timing will be perfect to move home. We will both have completed our bachelors degrees and Chris might actually be finished with his masters by then, we will see. As much as I want to move home right now, it would be difficult considering we have no degree and really no set plan. By the time Chris' time in the military is up, we will be ready! Until then, our one visit home a year and skype will have to suffice. Well, this momma needs to go do some serious cleaning!
PS- we are starting the exciting adventure of potty training once again on Monday. Please pray that all goes well and that the transition is smooth. AND please also pray for my school which also starts back on Monday.
MUCH LOVE AND GOD BLESS!
Sarah

Fast Paced!!!

Well, I feel like my life is going in fast forward motion and I cant seem to slow it down for anything. I JUST had a baby like yesterday ( it seems ) and he will be 6 months old next month......what the heck? I want to keep my babies tiny forever! Last night around midnight, Camden woke up and just started crying for me and Chris. I went in there and laid with him for a bit and as I was laying there in his bed with my arms around my sweet baby, I realized that the times of him coming to me and Chris because he is scared or needs help are not going to last forever. I almost just started crying with him thinking about him as a grown man and not needing his mommy anymore......hes already 2 1/2.....this just doesn't seem fair. I literally cherish every moment I have with my boys, because I know that it will not always be this way.
I LOVE each and every stage that we have experienced so far with each of our children. Camden is learning how to potty train ( Which is NOT going very well haha but he will eventually get it ) and Cayson is already holding his own bottle and attempting the army crawl. He can already scoot forward.....its just insane. Which makes it harder is that this is it for me. I am finished having children. Every time I say that to anyone they just laugh and tell me how young I am and times will change.....I REALLY don't think it will honestly....the only thing that might possibly happen in the late future would be an adoption. Chris and I have always talked about it since before we even got married that we would one day like to give a child a better life. My sister-in-law Gerianne is adopted and I know that her parents just completely adore her. I could see that with Chris and I one day...
Well I did great in my classes and I could not be any more please! This was a big challenge for me because I was having to adjust to being in school with 2 kids instead of 1 and not having any help from Chris during the week because he goes straight from work to school. We pretty much live for the weekends when we can be together as a family. Things are crazy at our house but we are getting by! I just keep telling myself that once Chris graduates things will slow down....I'm hoping for it anyways.....and then when I graduate the following year, maybe things will REALLY slow down.
Well we are going home in 2 weeks exactly. I cant even begin to explain how excited I am to see family and friends. Most of our family except for my parents and Chris' parents and Gerianne are the only people who have met Cayson. I cant wait to see everyone!
Ok so i am SOOOOO ready for fall. I am ready for warm sweaters and jeans, ugg boots, the leaves changing, family activities like going to fifers orchard and enjoying the cool air outside as much as possible, baking, Halloween, cornbread and chili ( my fav) NO MORE HEAT!!, Thanksgiving, and then CHRISTMAS! :) I am just so ready for this time of year. After fall means winter which means Christmas! Do you remember how much fun Christmas was when you were little? Well it is like that but X10 when you get to do it for your own children and see how excited they get. Is it silly that I am already scheming for Christmas? I am DETERMINED to surprise Chris this year....but how I am not sure yet!!
Well, please continue to pray for our schooling. It will be the biggest blessing when we complete our degrees! I am just taking things day by day!
Much love and God bless!
Sarah

Getting Back on Track

So for the past month or so I have sort of gotten out of touch with the important things in my life. I have not been neglecting my responsibilities but my head and my heart have just not been into them. Chris and I started a new Bible Study last night and I have begun writing my my prayer journal again. I know that these things will get my head and my heart back to where I want it to be.
I started working out about two months ago and I am so happy to say that it is paying off. I am down 50 pounds since I had Cayson. I still have more weight that I want to lose but this is a big milestone that I am proud of.
My schooling has been an issue for me lately. This is my first semester back since having had Cayson. It is a lot harder doing school with two babies than it was with 1. Not that I dont have exceptional children but nonetheless it is difficult to stay focused on school work when I am constantly feeding babies, changing diapers, potty training, kissing booboos, picking up toys, and trying to keep them entertained. Being a mommy is so unbelievably rewarding but it does make every day tasks a bit difficult. I was, however, given great news today! I got my grades back for mid-semester grades and I am doing well. I was very relieved to get an A on my midterm paper and slide show.
I have finally gotten a routine down with the boys that is doable :). I am happy to say that my house only looks like a tornado every once and a while now instead of every week haha. They are so fun. They are just growing up so fast i feel like every time a blink they are bigger. Cayson is 4 months old now and he has quite the personality. He loves to smile and laugh and is very entertained by his bubba. Camden wants to play with him so bad and he is learning that he has to be VERY gentle around him. He is such a good helper. He helps by bringing mommy diapers and wipes and then throwing the diapers in the trashcan ( his favorite part! )
Chris is in school full time so he comes home from work and pretty much goes straight to school. I cant wait until next December when he can walk the stage. It will be such a great accomplishment for him and I will be so proud. I know he misses spending all of his time with the boys but he is doing it for us which just makes me love him more.
A little about our bible study. We are reading a book called "the sacred romance" which is about your personal relationship with God. We are barely into the book but I can already tell that its going to be a wonderful study to do together.
Stress has hit me like a train lately and I have just decided to let go and let God. I finally realized the other day that I cannot deal with all of this on my own and I need our Lord and Savior on my side to get through it. The littlest things have just been pushing me over the edge lately and I have finally decided to give it up to God. I know that he is on my side and I am not alone. It kind of reminds me of the song from Barlow Girl " I cried out with no reply and I cant feel you by my side so I look tight to what I know, You're here and I'm never alone". I love that song and it is so perfect. I know that God is in control and I am just so happy to get back on track with my relationship with him.
We are coming home next month for a long visit! Its going to be a great vacation and I cant wait to see all of our family and friends. It will be such a blessing to get away from everyday life and spend some quality time with family.
Thats all for now! Much love and God bless.
Sarah

Its been a while!

Well, I have been one busy woman since becoming the mother of 2 little boys. My days basically consist of cleaning, laundry, cooking, singing songs with Cam, feedings, changings, potty training (we will get to that in a minute!), homework, working out, playing with extremely loud toys, watching the disney channel with Cam, bathing the boys, and nap time (my favorite part of the day). When Chris is not at work or school we spend as much time together as possible! Weekends are a treat because there is no work and no school! I am so proud of him though. Although being alone all day and evening stinks, its going to be so worth it next year when he walks that stage! So unbelievably proud of him. He is such an amazing provider and friend.
Now potty training... Well basically what we are doing is setting a timer for every 30 mintues and sitting on the potty whether we need to go or not! Every time that timer goes off, Camden screams and runs up the stairs! Its kind of funny but I have to chase him every time haha. He hates it, but we arent giving up! My big boy turned 2 last month and I just can't believe it. This time is so precious but its flying by :(...... He got a big boy pool from mommy and daddy :) We have been having a lot of fun in there so far!
I am on week four of p90x. It is getting less and less hard to do which is good but I am always so nervous to measure myself every week. I have lost 24.5 inches thus far!
Now about Cayson. He is literally the best baby in the world. He sleeps all night. Its truly a gift straight from God! I dont know what I would do if he woke up 2-3 times a night like Camden did in the beginning. Hes so sweet and cuddly....totally enjoying the newborn stage!
I have an unspoken prayer request. If you have a minute please lift me up in prayer.
Much love and God bless.
-S

Prayer Requests...

I have had such a heavy heart lately. So much has been going on lately it just seems like we have been going 100 mph and it doesn't look like things are going to be slowing down any time soon. Please just pray for us so that we can get through everything this next month...
1. First and foremost, PLEASE pray for our extended family (The Phillips). Chris' aunt Cindy has been having severe liver problems and it has been a long roller coaster ride the past 2 weeks. She has recently been moved to hospice in Houston Texas. Please just pray for a peaceful passing. It was been horrible for us being so far away from the family in such a time of need. We wish more than anything that we could be there to just wrap our arms around everyone.Its hard being 1800 miles away from everyone and feeling helpless.
2. Please pray for Chris this next week. He starts school on Monday and will be taking 3 classes this summer meaning that he will be away from me and the boys 4 nights a week on top of being gone all day for work. I am so proud of Chris for all that he is doing and I know that he is doing it for the betterment of our family and our future. He has a little over a year left of school and he will finally have his degree. I could not be any more proud.
3. Please pray for Chris specifically on may 12. He will be taking his Staff Sgt. test that day. This is a very difficult test that, on average, is taken at least 2 times before passing it. Making Staff Sgt. does not only rely on the test but multiple factors. His PT test, EPR, and test are all accounted for and added up to see if he made it. For Chris, everything relies on how well he does on the test. He has the second highest PT score in his entire squadron and he has firewall fives on his EPR sheet. Because Chris has only been a Senior Airman for a couple of months, this will mean that he has to score higher on his Test than a lot of other people taking the test. You get more points for how long you have been in the military and how long you have had on your Senior Airman stripes. Chris has been studying very hard but in all reality, he could get a 90 on his test and still not make it. If people taking the test for a second or third time make the same grade as him, they will make staff before him because they will have more points for being in longer. It is confusing but please just pray for Chris during this time. He wants it badly.
4. Please pray for me. I have been through so much lately with c section recovery, being extremely ill for 6 weeks because of gall stones, and then getting my gall bladder removed 2 weeks ago. Please just pray that I stay feeling healthy and that there are no more obstacles that I need to overcome with this.
5. Please pray for my schooling as well. I start back again at the end of this month and I am very nervous. I am trying very hard to get on a constant schedule with the boys that include waking up in the morning, breakfast, baths, lunch with daddy, nap times, keeping the house clean, staying on top of the laundry, working out, and doing all of the grocery shopping and cooking. Adding school into this equation will be difficult but I have to get it done! It will be such an accomplishment once we both finally have our degrees. It will be such a rewarding time for us with having finished our degrees with two kids under our belts!

Thank you for your prayers everyone. They are so appreciated.
Much love and God bless.
Sarah