Capps Family Life

"Fear not....

2010-05-11T22:43:00.002-05:00

for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you...When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." Isaiah 43:1-3

I know it has been many months since I posted on our blog.....so many things have happened and the Lord has been at work through this very difficult season....this verse in Isaiah has become my theme in the last few months, and especially since the recent floods here in Middle Tennessee.

On January 5, 2010, I checked in to Cumberland Heights Treatment Center for my alcoholism, which had nearly devastated me and our family more than once. If anyone knows anyone who needs help, Cumberland Heights is one of the best in the world and I would recommend it highly. I spent three months and one week in treatment......God moved in my life in a mighty way and taught me to rely on Him through the things I learned there. His faithfulness is so powerful and reassuring. I walked into treatment dying in every way and left confident in His love and trusting that His grace is sufficient in my weakness. As I type this I have four months and five days sober. And I am living not just a new life, but just really living life for the first time. I am so grateful to God for the counselors and friends from Cumberland and for the tremendous support from family and friends outside the gates of Cumberland Heights. I am also thankful for the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. God has used that to save many lives, including mine.

Kevin was magnificent in his care for the girls and support for my recovery. He played Mr. Mom by himself for two of those three months and my mom came to help him for the first month. I am so grateful for the life God has given me and our family. The girls did fine while I was away. They got to know their daddy pretty well!

About three and a half weeks after my discharge the storms and flooding hit our area. I have never seen such devastation. The storms started on Saturday, May 1st, and the flooding came almost immediately with them. Sunday we began to realize that our house was going to take on water, so we got as many precious items out as we could, like pictures, jewelry, some clothing, and some books. We were unable to get back into our home until Wednesday afternoon, as the roads approaching our house were unpassable due to flooding. Our street runs into a road called River Road, which runs parallel to the Cumberland River. The basement of our house was completely flooded and the inside of the house got about two feet of water in it. We are renting, so that is a wonderful blessing! We lost a great deal of our possessions, but I am so grateful that nobody in our family was hurt and that we have had places to stay. We have been at his parents' house and I have gone between there and the home of my best friend who lives close by. There are so many things to see as blessings here, not the least of which is that I was needing to get rid of some stuff and not wanting to sort through it all. God took care of that for me! We are planning to rent an apartment in our town, Ashland City, and move in whenever they open. We have all been thrown off by this flood, and it has been very trying, but I am thankful to be sober and trusting God to meet all our needs. As He always graciously does.

We have received gifts and offers of help from people all over the country. God is doing for us what we can not do for ourselves.....giving us courage and hope and grace to make each day at a time. We are going to apply with FEMA in the next day or two. That assistance will be a huge help.

I am going to work on posting more regularly and will let everyone know when we get in our own place.

Grace and Peace~Kara

The Math of Gratitude

2009-10-08T21:32:00.003-05:00

I have never been a math genius, but here is what I take away from being tired:

Job Tiredness=I have a job and it is a wonderful blessing
Loads of Laundry=We have clothes to wear, lots of them
Messy House=We have a place to live and keep us comfortable
Children up at Night=Children I never thought I'd get to have (and aren't they pretty?)
Irritation with Kevin (only sometimes)=A husband I couldn't do without (He's pretty,too!)
Missing Family Far Away=A family I couldn't do without
Christian Music=Only a teeny part of what Heaven will be like! Wow!
Ephesians 1=I have every spiritual blessing in Christ....What an unmerited gift!
Life is so good! God is better!

Family Legacy

2009-07-13T09:53:00.002-05:00

When I think about the people who make up my world and those who have had the most influence I think about my grandparents....we celebrated Dadada's 90th birthday this weekend and there were more than 100 people there to share in our joy. I write this from Houston and can hear my mom upstairs with my girls. I haven't had time to upload pictures yet but just couldn't not post how very honored I am to have come from the family God gave me. My grandparents taught me about God's love and Jesus' sacrifice and have given their lives to bless others in order that they may know Jesus. And I want to honor that legacy by living the same way. I'll upload pictures when I am able.....hope you have a blessed week!

2009-05-31T13:32:00.003-05:00

I got this cute pool yesterday at Target thinking that the girls would LOVE it! Well, Laura loved it but Lindy wasn't so sure about the cold water, as you can see. She's a water girl but not cold water. Girl after my own heart. I'm grateful for the warmer weather and the changing of the calendar. May has seemed like a long month to me this year. Hope you are having a beautiful late spring/early summer! Oh, and Lindy is trying more and more to walk. I think by the end of this week she'll be walking more than she is crawling. Very cute. If I can catch it on video I'll post it! Happy Sunday!

Recovering....Slowly!

2009-05-18T10:06:00.006-05:00

Here are some of Lindy's one year portraits as promised.....I love the one with the pouty face. Is that not so cute???? She's busy and getting into everything, but not quite walking yet. That will come soon enough, I know!

Just a quick update.....I'm a week post surgery and feeling MUCH better, as expected. But still laying around a lot! Everything went fine and is healing nicely, as far as I know. :) Thanks for the prayers and love. My mom is here until tomorrow afternoon so I'm going to continue to take advantage of being able to lay around and read books. We went to our Small Group Bible study yesterday, which was wonderful, but that was about all I could do for the day! Now we need prayers because Lindy is not wanting to sleep, like at all. Makes life really difficult at times! Laura wasn't a good sleeper either but I don't remember it being quite this hard with her......

Otherwise all is well in Nashville.

Today is the first day.......

2009-05-11T06:49:00.003-05:00

Of the rest of my life! I suppose we could all say that anyway, since God makes all things new every morning, couldn't we? But since I am a bit of a drama queen, yes try not to be too shocked (that I'm admitting it!), I really am looking at today as a happy new start! I'm having surgery today.....a hysterectomy, to be specific. I'm very excited about it. It is something I've needed to have done for many years now, but really preferred to keep those particular parts in so I could have babies. As that part of life is done, there isn't any reason to keep them in anymore. So....OUT THEY COME!

As I type this it is 6:53am Central Time. Lord willing the surgery will start at 12:30pm. We're to be at the hospital at 10:30. My mom flew in to be a help and to celebrate Lindy's first birthday with us. (I'll post pictures of that when I get home and am moving around a little better.) This counts as major surgery and requires a one to two night stay in the hospital. I'm having it done with the brilliant doctor who cared for us during my difficult pregnancy with Lindy and then delivered her safely and soundly. And it will be at Centennial Hospital in Nashville. Actually, it is the Women's Hospital at Centennial. Man, I hope the food is good. I am SOOOO hungry, as I've not been able to eat since midnight. And with nerves haven't slept all night. Why is it that when I'm not allowed to eat I could just eat an elephant but when I need to eat I can't find anything I want? Yet I digress.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know what is going on with us today. Kevin is taking the day off and will bus the girls around town today as needed. Laura will spend two nights with Grandma and Grandpa and Lindy will spend two nights with our sweet friends from church, the Daltons. Mother will stay with me in the hospital so Kevin can get to work early in the morning. Then a few weeks of discomfort and recovery and Voila'! A whole new me! :) (I told you I'm a drama queen. You get what you get when you check my blog. At least I'm posting again~)

Please pray for me and our family as we go through this surgery and recovery time. The hardest thing for me is going to be the lifting restriction. Like nothing over ten pounds for six weeks. Yeah, Lindy's going to love that one. Kevin will have to shoulder some of my responsibilities, so pray for his endurance as he is always so busy with his work.

Hope you have a beautiful Monday and week. If you want to call my cell phone and know the number (obviously I'm not posting it on random cyberspace) please feel free to call. My mom or Kevin will have it if I'm not able to talk. Like that ever happens. Anyway, thanks for your prayers and stay tuned for birthday celebration pics later in the week!

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-04-29T23:04:00.003-05:00

Yes, I realize I've been a bit out of touch lately, and I do realize that it is the end of April....

Kevin and I celebrated Valentine's Day last night by attending "The United Tour" concert with Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman. My sweet husband, back in February, offered for me to have a spa day for Valentine's Day. It was Februrary 13 and as I looked at the offerings at different spas in the area I remembered that tickets went on sale that day for what I considered the concert of a lifetime. So I asked him if he would mind spending the same amount of money on tickets to a concert we could attend together. And, of course, he agreed. So we've had those tickets hanging on our fridge for two and a half months now. And let me just say that it was WELL worth the wait. PHENOMENAL doesn't begin to describe how wonderful the concert/worship experience was. Those of you who know me know that just about all I listen to is Christian music, and have since I was about 12, when I first saw Michael W. Smith performing with Amy Grant when they were fledgling Christian artists. I started listening to Steven Curtis Chapman in 1989 and he and Twila Paris are my two favorite singers ever. Anyway, all that to say that it was a dream come true to get to be there and hear these men, whose music helped shape my faith and keep my eyes heavenward when they would have looked elsewhere. The first Steven Curtis Chapman record I ever heard had the song, "I will be here" on it. I was a junior at Texas A&M then and I remember longing for a love so faithful. He sang that last night and I got to sit there and hold Kevin's hand through the song. How blessed I am among women! I chose to follow the request of the artists and not take digital pictures of the performance (unlike the man in front of me who just about recorded the entire concert!) to post on the blog, so all you get is a "prom" picture of Kevin and me before we left. Steven talked a lot about how his life and the life of his family has changed since their little girl, Maria Sue, went to be with Jesus last May due to a horrible accident. He talked about how he has questioned God and wondered how in the world he could ever sing his songs with sincerity and integrity again. But that he realized that God is faithful and mighty to save and that they will see Maria again on the other side. And that our Father absolutely is carrying them on this difficult journey. Hearing the songs I have loved for so long filtered through the lens of someone who has lost a child challenges me to really trust in God's grace and providence. If God can carry them through that He can take care of me and my family through anything because He is mighty and eternal.

God is God and I am not. To Him, and through Him, and from Him are all things, and I am grateful. Happy Valentine's Day!

Do Not Adjust Your Computer.....

2009-04-23T23:03:00.011-05:00

Yes, this really is a post on Kara's blog! We've been running at the speed of life since January, just like everyone else. While I'm not going to bore you by chronicling three months' Capps life, I am posting lots of pictures. Since the last post Laura turned five, Lindy is almost one, and we've gotten to travel back to Texas. I'm typing from Houston right now, actually. We got to come down as a result of Southwest's bargain prices. Since Laura starts kindergarten in the fall I figured this was about our last opportunity to just take off at a random time. Lindy is just on the cusp of walking, and she babbles all the time. She said her first real word Sunday at church. My grandfather, whom many of you know I call "Dadada", teaches a Bible class. Lindy looked up at the beginning of class Sunday and saw him and called his name! Her first word was Dadada. What fun that is! These pictures span from Laura's birthday in March to this week.
Laura's birthday weekend it was really cold! We were all bundled up, except the birthday girl, who is hot natured.

Easter Sunday in their finest. Lindy's hair was quite the rage that day.

At the zoo with Daddy.

Showing off two of her birthday presents. The Jasmine outfit was one of her favorites! (Not so much mine with the bare tummy but she is only five right now....)

We did a Tinkerbell party and Kroger made this beautiful cake. It tasted as good as it looked!

Happy Lindy.....she is always smiling. Today she has two more teeth on the bottom.

In the Texas bluebonnets this week. They are still beautiful and I'm so very thankful we got to be here to take pictures!

Lindy enjoyed playing with the bluebonnets. More specifically, she really liked picking them and eating them. She got one down before I could get to her!

Sweet sisters.....

Our beautiful five year old girl.

Being from Texas I just couldn't resist putting this one in! We did our pictures at Washington on the Brazos, where Texas declared independence from Mexico and we became our own country before being annexed into the US in 1845.

These were taken in the Harding swing in the front yard. Laura and Lindy absolutely love my grandparents, and you can see the feeling is mutual!

Beautiful Mamama. I hope at 88 I'll be this pretty!

Mimi and her girls waiting for services to begin.

At the Bammel Road Church, where I grew up and my family still attends, they have a play room with playground equipment. It is right next door to Dadada's Bible class. Didn't take Laura long to discover it!

Lindy Crawling

2009-01-07T22:52:00.004-06:00

Howdy from Texas! I'm uploading a sweet video of Lindy propelling herself on the floor in the closest thing we've seen to a crawl. She sort of pulls herself with her arms like an army crawl and then kicks off with her feet as she goes. It is very cute. She can also pull herself up to standing. I am not ready for that yet! Laura was at least a month older before she did that.

With the next post I'll put up some of our cute pictures. I just couldn't resist sharing this one first!

Hope everyone not in Texas is keeping warm! :)

Thoughts on new beginnings.....

2008-12-31T23:29:00.003-06:00

According to the clock on the computer in my grandparents' house, it is 11:29 pm. Central Standard Time, December 31, 2008. We have about a half an hour until the new year begins. Let's see....2009....one big thing coming up this year for me is a biggie birthday....40! Laura will turn 5 and start kindergarten and Kevin and I will celebrate seven years of marriage.

I love to look ahead but know that there are no guarantees to any of those things. If the Lord wills and we live we will be blessed to share those joys and their excitement. I've heard a lot of talk on the news today especially about "new beginnings" and how the beginning of a new year wipes the slate clean and we get to start over. What I love about living in faith is that each day brings the new mercies of our Lord and Father. We get to wipe the slate clean, one day at a time with His mercy and grace, each day. He puts our sins and shortcomings behind Him and remembers them no more. Every day. As far as the east is from the west. Wow. I am reminded that we only have today, and that tomorrow has enough trouble of its own. I am humbled to think that God loves me enough to take care of each need and concern each day.....all I have to do is ask! So, as I begin this new year, I will say that my "resolution" will be to live each day, one day at a time, in the care and love of my God. And trust Him with all my tomorrows. I pray you will see His love and mercy with each new day this year.

New Pictures!

2008-12-16T00:42:00.006-06:00

Why is it that when I finally post pictures they come out in reverse order? Anyway, I thought I'd update the blog with some pictures of the season with family members and friends. Here is the empty tree at Kevin's mom and dad's place after the presents were all opened. It was supposed to be the last one for some dramatic visual effect, but anyway.....

Okay, now here is the fully loaded tree before Laura got her hands on the presents.

It may be hard to see this one, but she was still long enough to capture it. This is her first bat, ball, and glove set. Princesses and all.

Here is Lindy Grace with her "big" present of the night, but she was far and away more interested in the wrapping paper. She sampled each type of paper before the night was through. I never could guess which was her favorite. This is the "blue snowman" variety of paper...

Here is the "red Santa" type.

Lindy is trying to open her first gift after she had already chewed on it, of course.

Getting ready to open.....

This was a shot of the girls in one set of their matching pjs. I found some really cute sets on sale and grabbed them up!

Lindy and her prunes......

Einstein hair after a bath. This is the only age where a bad hair day is cute!
Lord willing we leave on the morning of Christmas Eve to spend some time in Houston. To say the least we are looking forward to time with family there. I'll post more pictures there. It is good to be in touch again! :)

Wouldn't you know....

2008-11-16T09:31:00.002-06:00

Just when we were getting into a good routine and looking forward to traveling to see friends and family in Knoxville.......we all got SICK! It started with Kevin's dad, who passed his cold on to Laura, so we were in the doctor's office twice with her last week.....then Lindy started with a fever of 102 last Sunday morning, more doctor visits and medicine for her.....and then finally, the typical "another one bites the dust" I managed to get it, too. My doctor listened to me Monday and told me my lungs sounded crusty. Not sure how that sounds, but not so good. I think of Jack Nicholson as crusty, you know? Anyway, here we are a week later and we are starting to feel better. The girls are almost completely well now. I'm not quite there but definitely on the mend. We spent most of all last week with Kevin's parents because he was out of town and then I was so sick I just couldn't have taken care of the girls properly without help. I've got some new-ish pictures to post but just don't feel like doing it right now. Kevin has the girls at church and I'm supposed to be asleep. If everyone is well, Lord willing, we'll travel to Knoxville this Thursday to do Lindy's six month pictures. How can she be six months old already???? I'll have to get a video of her new skill: rolling. She rolls everywhere! Our lives have officially changed forever now. The baby is mobile! I write this hoping that you are all keeping well and are not sick like we have been lately.....Happy Sunday!

A Rich Heritage

2008-10-28T09:23:00.004-05:00

We traveled this past weekend to Harding University in Searcy, AR, for the annual homecoming celebration. It was wonderful to be there with family we only see once a year. Both sets of my grandparents graduated and married out of Harding, so you could say that our family started there. I loved getting to see my grandparents visit with dear ones they've known for more than 60 years, and couldn't help reflect on the wonderful heritage I have. When I went to Harding to do my Master's work in 1997 I became the third generation Harding student for both sides of my family. I would love it if our girls chose to study there, too. We went to the Homecoming football game and I got to see people I have known since I started teaching in Austin in 1991! I am grateful for the friendship and family ties, and for the role Harding has played in them.

Here we are as a family of four on a Harding swing. Not Christmas card worthy, but the best we could get with two tired children!

Here are four generations sitting on a swing like the one where my grandparents courted 67 years ago!

The weather couldn't have been more beautiful. It was a perfect fall day to get a sweet picture of Laura and Lindy.

Mamama and Lindy after chapel Friday morning.

This is the archway into the campus that has stood in place for many decades.

Ten Promises

2008-10-16T14:43:00.003-05:00

Ten Promises No Matter Who Wins The Election:

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings on His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost.

ISN'T IT GOOD TO KNOW WHO IS STILL IN CONTROL?

I'm not sure who wrote that but I received it as an email last week, and as the election draws closer and closer I just felt the need to be reminded that Jesus, by His mercy and grace, still has the world in His precious blood-stained hands.

Seven Years Ago Today.....

2008-10-14T08:17:00.003-05:00

I went to church with my friends in Knoxville and met the most wonderful man in the world, my sweet husband, Kevin. It was a movie moment, really, for me....I looked across the crowded Bible class and saw him sitting there and thought he was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. When I went upstairs after class and saw him talking to my friends I just knew he was the one for me. By the way, I still think he's the cutest thing I've ever seen. And there is so much more to him. He loves God, he loves his family, he takes care of his mom and dad, he is a fabulous amazing friend, he is so very good at what he does in his career. I couldn't have more gratitude for the blessing of sharing my life with him than I do every October. In a way I remember this day better than our anniversary.....because this was the day everything changed in my life!

So, sweet husband and friend, after seven years, five houses, three cities, and two children, I'm so grateful to share it all with you. God truly blessed the broken road that led me straight to you. I love you so dearly! Thank you for sharing your life with me!

Lindy Eating Cereal

2008-10-10T23:44:00.001-05:00

Here is the video I wanted to post last night. Hope you enjoy watching our little doll baby eating her first meal!

Lindy at five months

2008-10-10T00:30:00.004-05:00

Here is our big girl on her five month "birthday". She has grown so much! I think she weighs about 13 pounds now. She loves to smile and laugh and is happy almost all the time. Her favorite things right now are Mommy, Daddy, and Laura and any thing she can put in her mouth. She is a drooler so we have her in bibs constantly! As she grows I think she is looking more and more like me, which is really fun.
We tried her on some rice cereal the other night. She actually really enjoyed it and wanted me to put the spoon in her mouth as fast as I could get it to her. I think she actually swallowed some cereal. Most of it dripped on the tray and on her bib.
I tried to upload the video we took of this but it didn't work. It was much cuter than these pictures. Laura was at Grandma's house when we tried this cereal adventure. I haven't done it again yet. Maybe we'll do it today.

Confessions of a Dietitian's Wife and other bits of Randomness

2008-09-30T23:33:00.002-05:00

Okay, here goes, I have to admit it. I love white pasta. A lot. And as I dug it out of the back of the pasta section (yes it has a section) of my pantry I realized that I'm a closet white pasta eater. The first step is admitting it, right? So I took a picture of the box after I started cooking the portion I am now eating. When my family is eating pasta I serve I get the healthy stuff. You know, either whole wheat or Barilla brand that is better for you than the "Enriched Spaghetti Product". I don't eat "Pastuerized Processed Cheese Food" but I love white pasta. I suppose this probably wouldn't be really good material for the writers of Desperate Housewives, but in our family this could be considered scandalous! Maybe I should tell Kevin before he reads this post......

Other bits of randomness: Conversations with a Four Year Old

Conversation #1

The other day Laura was disgruntled because I had either given her something she didn't want in the food department or I didn't give her what she wanted. Both happen so often I don't know which it was. Anyway, here is the dialogue to follow:

Kara: "I'm sorry this isn't your favorite, but it is what is good for you and you need/don't need to eat it." (depending on situation listed above)

Laura (now laying in the floor in the living room very dissatisfied with her lot in life): "I don't want to be in my world anymore."

Kara: "Oh really?"

Laura: "No, I want to be in Susan's world. I like it better there."

Kara: No response but laughing out loud. A lot.

Conversation #2

Laura: "When God was a little boy where did he poop?" (excuse the graphic nature of the questions but it is life with a four year old.)

Kara: "Um, well, when Jesus was a little boy I'm sure they had places for pooping.

Laura: "No, not Jesus, I mean God. Where did he poop?"

Kara: "I don't know if God really needs to poop. I'm not sure if He eats or not."

Laura: "If he doesn't eat, how can he live?" "Do you think He likes cheese toast?"

Kara (deciding not to get into theology way over both our heads): "I'll bet that if He eats, I'm sure He'd like cheese toast."

Laura: "Where are the bathrooms in heaven?"

Kara: "I don't think we'll need bathrooms in heaven."

Laura (alarmed): "If there are no bathrooms there where will I go potty?"

Kara (again deciding to take the easy, sensible route): "I'm sure that God will be able to tell you where you can go potty."

Laura: "Okay, what's for lunch?"

What a sweet life we live. So blessed we are to share it with you......

Fall, Already.....

2008-09-23T12:04:00.010-05:00

As summer has blended into fall, I thought I'd put up some of the photos from our trips to Texas and New Jersey. I can't believe it is already autumn. It really crept up on me this year!

Here is Laura playing on the beach in Ocean City, NJ, where I played when I was her age.

On the boardwalk with Daddy.
I rode the same rides on the boardwalk when I was little!

Lindy took a good nap under the umbrella. That's a good life!

Dabby is giving some history on our Liberty Bell. Laura was very impressed to see it!

Shopping for Dummies

2008-09-18T16:07:00.004-05:00

Well, I tried a not so fun game today I'd like to call, "Shopping for Dummies", in which I am the dummy! I decided that today would be a GREAT day to go to Sears and Target to try on shoes and look at fall dresses and clothes for Laura. Sears went pretty well, actually, except when Laura ran away from me in the Misses' section and decided she wasn't going to leave when it was time to leave. Thankfully there were only like five people in Sears at the time, so we didn't disturb anyone. When we left Sears, which happens to be right across from our house, I thought we might as well go to Target since we are already out and everyone is relatively happy. WRONG! Bad plan, Kara. The first thing Laura wanted to do was carry her favorite stuffed animal, Biscuit, into the store. Dummy Tip #1: NEVER allow a four year old to carry her favorite toy in the store and expect her to keep up with it! I decided to put Lindy in the stroller rather than using a shopping cart because she tends to do better that way. And normally Laura asks to walk rather than being put in the shopping cart. Well, the second we walked in the store Laura announced to me that she was sooooo tired and needed to get in a cart and lie down. Dummy Tip #2: When told this by the four year old, turn around a leave because your Target shopping experience is going to be less than happy. I told her simply that we were going to get the things on the list and that she would be just fine and could sleep in the car on the way home. So she moaned and groaned and tried to climb in the stroller with Lindy as we walked in. I had promised her Sonic as a treat for lunch, so I threatened to take that away if she didn't act like a big girl. Dummy Tip #3: When taking away a treat or privilege, don't threaten to take away something that will be a treat for you, too. The first bit of shopping, other than the moaning from Laura, wasn't actually all that bad. We looked at shoes and found a few of the things I needed to get. It was when we got to the grocery aisle things turned south. I needed some Instant Breakfast and as I reached for it I heard a crash, and this from Laura: "Wow! It's like dominoes!" Dummy Tip #4: Leave. Leave now! Don't get the rest of the stuff on your list. Leave. I turned around and saw about six cereal boxes on the floor that we set up again without too much trouble. But I was determined to get the stuff on my list and it was now a battle between the smart Kara and the Dummy. The Dummy won. And all I could think about was rewarding myself with Sonic once all this was over. By this time, which was only about 25 minutes from entering the store, Lindy was screaming. So I picked her up and Laura climbed in the stroller straightaway. Okay, at least they are both contained. But Laura has quite a range of reaching from a moving stroller. Hadn't thought about that. After knocking over several cheese graters and a salt shaker, I decided it was prudent to go ahead and go. But I'd forgotten the milk. We went back to get that and got to the car successfully. I got Lindy in the car seat and buckled and Laura says, "Where's Biscuit?" You remember Biscuit, right? The stuffed cat from Dummy Tip #1? Yeah. She's missing in action. So we all get back out of the car, Lindy screaming in the car seat, and go back in Target. We walked all over the store to the places we'd visited. No Biscuit. Lindy was asleep, though, nice timing huh? In the end we couldn't find Biscuit, but I did leave my information with the girl at the customer service desk, who was very friendly and sympathetic, and if Biscuit is found, she'll call me. This is going to be a good life lesson for Laura, I think. As much as I hate for her to have lost Biscuit, I think this will help emphasize my point when I don't give in and let her take things inside stores that are a bazillion square feet and have at least that many items to choose from. Places little stuffed kitties can get lost and overlooked so easily. Anyway, she fell asleep in the car on the way to Sonic and the milk was still good by the time we got back to the car. And all is well. I must say that was the best Sonic hamburger I think I've ever had! :) I should have gotten myself an ice cream. Oh well. Tomorrow starts a huge consignment sale at a school near our church down the street from my house. I have a different plan for shopping there: Call Grandma! Happy Thursday!

Added Thursday night: We got the call from Target. Biscuit was indeed found and will be waiting my arrival at Target in the morning. Yay!

Ike update

2008-09-14T20:43:00.005-05:00

Update posted Monday night at 10:00 central....my mother emailed to say that they were back online and have power after only 70 hours without it. Really that is pretty good! All are well and only my uncle's home sustained minor damage in the form of a broken storm window. What a blessing it is to know they are safe. Thanks to all who checked in about them!

I just wanted to take a minute to give an update on my family and friends in Texas. As you can see from this image, Hurricane Ike was as big as the state of Texas. Thankfully it wasn't as devastating as they thought it might be, but it still created quite a mess in my home town of Houston. My family lives in the northern suburb of Houston, about 75 miles inland, so they had mostly high winds and lots and lots of rain. They lost their power at around 10 Friday night, and as of Sunday night are still without it. We are grateful that all is okay as far as our family is concerned. We are praying for those who are still in harm's way.

My friend Cindy asked on her blog recently what our pet peeves are and I'll tell you one of mine. People who stubbornly refuse to follow warnings and mandatory evacuation orders when staring a storm the size of Texas in the face. They are not only really, really stupid for doing that to themselves, but for putting others in harm's way.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! We're just grateful the storm is gone now.

Best Friends!

2008-09-12T08:06:00.003-05:00

I have lots of pictures from our recent travels to post but I just had to share this one first. This is Laura and her Grandpa, Kevin's dad. They are the best playmates ever! You see the doll who looks like a princess? That is Blondie. Yes, Blondie. I think Grandpa gave her that name. Blondie is very much a part of our family. When they play, Laura is Blondie's mom and Grandpa is Blondie's dad. So that makes me her grandmother and her sister-in-law? A bit too much like "Deliverance" for me. Anyway, there is someone else missing from the picture....Laura's imaginary friend, Aaron. He was at his Grandma's house. His Grandma is our Aunt Betty. When Laura and Grandpa play, they do whatever her imagination says to do, and she has a vivid imagination. They play outside and inside and can go all day long. Grandpa said to me once that he hoped Laura was having as much fun as he was. I'd say she is.

What a tremendous blessing it is to live close to Grandma and Grandpa. I am so grateful that our children will have the benefit of growing up with their grandparents. They help us out with childcare and they feed us regularly, and in general are just wonderful. We love them dearly and thank them for all they do for us.

Happy Friday! I'll put up some of our vacation pictures in the next post.

Tea Time with Dadada

2008-09-02T20:10:00.003-05:00

I wanted to post this video, which happens to be my favorite part of our trip to Houston. We were there for a week and dodged the bullet of Gustav. Yesterday we got some cloud cover, an occasional gust of wind, and a little bit of rain. That's my kind of hurricane. :) This video is of Laura and my grandfather, who I call Dadada (His name is Wayne Hemingway, but I named him Dadada when I was a year old) having a cup of tea. Pardon Laura's lack of clothes, but those who know her well will know that her favorite way to be is in her skivvies (sp?). My grandmother, aka Mamama, is seen in the background working on her checkbook.

For those who don't know, my grandparents are 87 & 89 and have been married 66 years. They are two of the most precious and important people in my life, and words can't say how thankful I am to still have them. He still teaches school two days a week. What a treasure this video clip is to me!

We had a wonderful visit with family and friends while we were in Houston. I am so grateful we got to go down. Lord willing, we'll go down as an entire family at Christmas time.

We are excited to be planning to go to New Jersey to see my dad and stepmom on Friday. Speaking of hurricanes, Hanna is supposed to be visiting the eastern seaboard and to New Jersey by Saturday. And we flew to Houston as Faye was visiting Middle Tennessee last week. It is certainly a busy year for storms!

Happy Tuesday from rain-free Middle Tennessee!

Melinda Grace at three months

2008-08-22T23:51:00.003-05:00

It is nearly impossible for me to believe that my baby girl is already three months old! Here are the proofs from her portrait session this week. We made a VERY quick trip up to Knoxville just to do the portraits. Laura had her first year done by this studio and we love them. The dress and bonnet Lindy is in were hand made by a lifetime friend and neighbor of Kevin's parents, and Laura wore them, too. In fact, we did her 18 month portraits in the same dress. Anyway, looking at these beautiful pictures reminds me of just how precious life is, and how very quickly time flies.

On another note, we are so blessed in our recent move. We've already found a wonderful church home, the Western Hills Church of Christ. It is so fun to be getting to know new people there, and to feel so welcome and positive. Laura already loves her class and looks forward to Sundays. She has such a pure heart, though, that she has always looked forward to church and Bible class. Lord willing, the girls and I will be traveling to Houston next Tuesday for a visit with my family there. I'll post pictures of Lindy's meeting my precious grandparents for the first time. We are all really looking forward to that trip. Okay, well, Lindy doesn't really know to look forward to things yet, but Laura and I are excited enough for all of us! :) Happy Friday!

Our Lives by the Numbers

2008-08-11T16:52:00.004-05:00

Since our last post:

1: Time we've moved
30: Miles from our old house to the new one
48: Hours' notice we had to pack and move
6: Rooms we had in the old house
12: Rooms we have in this one
10: People it took to get us packed and moved
4: Exceptionally grateful people in our family for our new home and the help we had to get here!
1: Kara, who couldn't help with the move at all because.....
2: Number of surgeries I had in the 10 days prior to the move
3: Days I got to spend in the hospital (Spa Baptist I like to call it)
1000: % Better I am now that all that chaos is over!
Infinite: Ways God shows His great provision, love and faithfulness in our lives

Here is the front of the new house, where Lord willing we'll be for the next 18 months

Lindy's first smiles

2008-07-14T09:11:00.000-05:00

I love my girls so very much! To me there isn't anything like those first baby smiles and toothless grins. I was so grateful to get these on film before we went to church yesterday morning. Lindy wakes up every morning grinning and happy and smiling. She's starting to coo a bit, too. I just know her first words are going to be "Mommy I love you!" Actually to me there isn't much that is more precious in the world than hearing Laura say that to me each day. Each day I pray for the grace to remember that the challenging moments are just moments, and to enjoy them because I will miss them some day. What a blessing it is to be allowed to have this family....a husband I cherish and adore, and two children to nurture in the love of Jesus. Happy Monday!

About Freedom......

2008-07-04T09:26:00.000-05:00

Happy Independence Day! I won't go on and on about the Fourth of July like I would like to......Let me just say that I have had the privilege of spending two Independce Day holidays outside the United States in places that wanted freedom desperately. I always have been a proud American, but those experiences gave me tremendous gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy! I am grateful today for the fact that our freedom as Americans is protected by so many volunteers all over the world, and as I write this there are many thousands who are putting themselves in harm's way to give me the opportunity to thank them. I'll bet those rag tag rebels who gathered together to sign and send the Declaration of Independence 232 years ago had no conception of how they would affect the rest of world history.

Freedom is not free.....I am also grateful today for the Savior who gave His precious life to allow me to be free from sin and death, and free to live in His grace every moment of every day. As I am free, I am also reminded that I am bought and paid for with a price. Praise God for His tender mercies which are new every morning.

Okay, enough preaching. Our July 4th dawned with a gray sky and thunderstorms, which are very welcome here. We are having another very dry summer. We are looking forward to a fun day filled with family and food and hopefully some fireworks! Dabby and Grammy, aka Dad and Karen Stokes, will be here some time this afternoon, and Grandpa and Grandma, aka Mom and Dad Capps are coming over for the afternoon and a cookout. We're excited about having a fun day together!

Now about the photos.....last night we took the girls to the park for the community celebration in Hendersonville. We walked around lots of people and had a good time together. Laura and Mommy got to Bungy jump together. Too bad Kevin was giving the baby a bottle and couldn't document Mommy harnessed and flying through the air. :) I did that on my 31st birthday at Fisherman's Wharf in San Fransisco. My mom got it on film and I looked pretty dorky. But, nonetheless, I decided that 39 wasn't too old to Bungy jump just one more time. I can still flip both directions, although I think that will be the last time. Laura did great and had a fun time jumping. She wasn't ready to flip yet although she tried. We were not going to stay for the fireworks because Laura doesn't like the booms and we were afraid the noise would send Lindy Grace into orbit. But we wound up staying longer and caught the fireworks on the way out. I covered Lindy's ears to keep her from the full blast of the booms, and she cried anyway. So I took my hand off her ear for a moment and she quit crying and went to sleep! And as you can see, Laura thoroughly enjoyed the fireworks display. So we're going to try the fireworks in Gallatin tonight. I'll let you know how it goes! Enjoy a happy day with family and friends on this day celebrating our precious freedom!

Save the Lightning Bugs

2008-07-02T23:12:00.001-05:00

In this photo you see some of Laura's latest "new best friends". This was actually taken in Hazel Green, AL at the home of our brother and sister-in-law, Steven and Barbara Capps. They were willing to lend us their "bug box" for Laura's evening ritual of catching the lightning bugs.

You'll notice the sand....she is sure that sand makes a REALLY nice bed for the bugs. Unfortunately for the bugs, Laura likes to shake them up a bit, and I'm sure they sustained at least minor abrasions!

I've been meaning to write this post for two weeks now, but I'm actually glad I've given Laura time to truly hone (sp?) the craft of catching lightning bugs! Here you see her actually holding the death chamber, I mean bug box in the process of providing the sand.

Laura has gotten so good at catching these things that she can get several in each fist before she puts them in captivity. I must refer you to the post about whose child this is because again, those who know me at all, and certainly know me well will know that catching bugs of any variety has never, ever been on my agenda. And certainly not something I would consider fun. But, I found out about the things a mother will do for her child during this visit to Alabama. One of the victims, I mean lightning bugs, was a little too high for Laura to catch, so she said, "You catch it for me, Mama!" Okay, what mother would refuse that request. So, ignoring every pore of my being telling me NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I reached up and very gently, with the least amount of contact possible (for the bugs, of course) caught her little friend. I even put it in the box for her. Then I shuddered for five minutes recalling the feeling of that thing in my hand. Eeewww. Yes, I'm a prissy girl. I'm really okay with me, so I'm okay with admitting it. But I'm proud of my girl who likes bugs and mud, too, because it must be good for you somehow to like those things. As I type this, there are about seven or eight lightning bugs flying hopelessly around a homemade bug box in my living room. I titled this post Save the Lightning Bugs because I think that some activist group would want me to prohibit Laura's catching of these bugs. And were it not for the fact that she would be horribly disappointed, I'd go release them into the wild to do whatever it is that they do every day. She keeps asking me what they eat, but somehow I'm not eager to find out because I don't want our house to become a sanctuary for lost and forlorn lightning bugs.

On another note, everyone at our house is well now. Lindy was MUCH better by Sunday morning, which was quite a relief. She goes for her two month visit and shots in the morning. Poor little thing. She's an angel. I look at her and I still wonder if she's real. Then she spits up all the milk she just drank all over my clothes. Yep. She's real. :) Have a happy, blessed day!

What a week!

2008-06-27T15:46:00.000-05:00

So much for the frequent updates on my blog! I had big plans for a new post about Laura's new favorite thing to do: catch fireflies. I'll probably do that soon, but I thought I'd put an update on how our little ones are doing. You probably can tell that the photo is a hospital bracelet for Lindy Grace. It has been a busy week taking care of sick children in our family life. We were so blessed to get to go to Knoxville just for the night Sunday night to be part of an anniversary celebration for our dear friends, Rosemary and Bill Pryor. They have been married 45 years, and their children had a surprise party for them with people from our Laurel church family. It was so wonderful to get to be with the precious people whom we love so much! Anyway, we woke up Monday morning to go and play with Will and Sam Taylor and I could tell that Laura was a little "off" and not quite herself. She felt a little warm to me, but I wasn't too worried about her. By the time we got over to the Taylors' house, she was very clingy and acting tired and complaining of a tummy ache. So we didn't stay too long (I'm sure Cindy is grateful!) and Cindy sent us home with an old towel in case Laura threw up in the car on the long ride home. Bless her heart, I could really tell she didn't feel at all well because she cried a lot of the way and kept complaining of a tummy ache. We even stopped once to let her throw up, but she didn't. She told me she wanted to wait until she got to Grandma's house. I have to say that was the LONGEST ride from Knoxville to Nashville I think I've ever driven. I had visions of a full blown stomach virus overtaking Laura, and you can imagine what a mess I really didn't want to deal with. Let alone a very sick little girl who I couldn't help since I was driving. Thankfully we got home safely and soundly, and she was running a temp. of 101. Tuesday I called the pediatrician to see if she should be seen and they told me yes since we have a newborn in the house so they could treat whatever Laura had. By the time we got to the doctor, her temp. was 102.5! The doctor said she just had a childhood virus and really there wasn't anything to do for it but help her be comfortable with Tylenol and ibuprofen. Meanwhile, Tuesday night I noticed that Lindy Grace was becoming more fussy and harder to settle. Oh, and all this time Kevin was traveling through Mississippi (that is really fun to type) and Illinois. We were staying with his parents, which was a marvelous help. Wednesday the girls and I came up to our house to play and to get some things done. Unfortunately Lindy was VERY fussy and I couldn't put her down, so we really didn't clean much, but at least Laura got to play. Kevin's mom noticed that she was having a hard time consoling her when she was upset. By Thursday morning, after a long night Wednesday, Lindy was still acting very fussy and I was really concerned. I brought her in to the doctor, who said to watch her and that we might have to go to Vanderbilt Children's if she didn't calm down. When we got home from the doctor Lindy started throwing up and having diarrhea (sp?), and was still very unsettled. Poor little thing, she couldn't even move without wimpering because she felt so bad. By 9:00 last night the doctor called my cell phone to check on her and told us to go ahead and bring her in so that they could just make sure it wasn't anything more than a stomach virus that was making her feel bad and fussy. Kevin came in from his travels at 7:30 last night completely exhausted, only to make a trip to the ER at 9:30. They were fabulous at the ER. They took blood and urine to run tests on, and they even checked her eyes for corneal abrasions, which apparently babies can get from their own tiny fingernails. Sure enough, Lindy has a scratch on her left cornea. Thankfully all her labs came back normal and she wasn't running a fever (very alarming in a baby that small) and she was able to keep down a little Pedialyte. She was a little dehydrated, but we didn't have to do IV fluids since she was able to drink the Pedialyte. We were dismissed with some ointment for her little eye at 3:00 am. Kevin was so tired that I sent him to the van to sleep a bit while we waited for the ER people to do their thing. So he got a little sleep anyway. We got back to his parents' house at about 3:30 am, exhausted but grateful that they didn't have to keep Lindy. She is MUCH better today, and able to keep more down, and she is more quiet and not so fussy. We went in for a follow up with the pediatrician this morning and he said that she should be a lot better by the end of the weekend. I asked them if they have a frequent flyer program there. You know, after two visits the third one is free? Or if they have stock options since we seem to be there so often.

As I sat there last night, all I could do was thank God for His care for us. I am so grateful that we have such magnificent medical care available to us, and that we are able to afford it, and that we have such good insurance. I was also grateful that, although both children had been very ill, they had illnesses that will get better. I am sure that in that same hospital there are children who are dying of cancer and other serious health conditions. I am thankful that at this point in our lives we are not facing anything like that, and that we have two basically healthy, beautiful children. I am praying now, though, that Laura will not pick up the stomach virus that Lindy has so that we don't have her sick again. She really just got better yesterday, even though she had been free of fever for a day and a half.

We are looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home since Kevin has been out of town so much lately. We're also looking forward to July 4th when my dad and stepmother will be here to share the holiday with us. We have some serious clutter control to do before they come! I've heard it said that cleaning house while children are growing is like shoveling snow while it is still snowing. And with that thought I will start my cleaning, counting our many, many blessings. And I'd also like to congratulate my grandparents, Wayne and Annile Hemingway, on their 66th wedding anniversary, which was yesterday, June 26. They are about my favorite people on the planet, save Kevin and our girls, and I am unspeakably thankful for the many ways they have influenced our lives. Happy anniversary, Mamama and Dadada. Thank you for all you do, and for the love you share with our family!

Making "Pupcakes" with Laura

2008-06-18T22:53:00.001-05:00

Laura has been asking to make "pup"cakes for the longest time, so finally I gave in and we had a mother/daughter cooking time making pupcakes. I had intended to put these pictures up in chronological order, but it didn't work. Anyway, I let Laura basically be in charge of the whole operation as it was her idea. We had a ball. She chose white cake and pink frosting with sprinkles. I had to keep myself in check because I was wanting to tell her exactly how to do it, or to do things for her. But the only way for her to learn is to do things by herself. She and I were both very proud of the pupcakes, and they were delicious. We shared them with our next door neighbors and Grandma and Grandpa. The ironic thing is that Laura doesn't like the cake part of the pupcakes, she only likes the icing! This was a loud process because I had to let Lindy Grace sit in her papasan chair while Laura and I worked on the pupcakes. Lindy Grace didn't appreciate that at all and she let us know it. I picked her up when I was doing something I could do with one hand, but I really wanted to do this with just Laura. I am learning to treasure moments like this because the day is coming when she won't want to do things with me, and her sweet hugs and kisses will be few and far between. I wish I could put the smell of these pupcakes baking on this blog because they smelled WONDERFUL and really tasted good, too. Laura made sure to sample what we were making all along the way and she was pretty impressed with herself. So without saying much more, I'll let you look at the pictures. We love the sprinkles!
The fun part was licking the sprinkles off the plate.

Sprinkles anyone?
Here she is with her finished pupcakes.

This is actually the first picture as we got started.
Who doesn't like licking the beaters? Raw eggs? Oh well!
Laura filled these up all by herself

and I finished them when she was done.

Getting the pupcakes ready to bake.....
We mixed red food coloring with white icing to make pink.

It was really fun for me to watch her enjoy

making a different color.

Stay tuned for the next post......Laura and the lightning bugs!

Whose Child is This?

2008-06-12T13:21:00.000-05:00

The beautiful Christmas carol says, "What child is this?", but for anyone who knows me well, you may wonder whose child this is, because Laura is playing happily with mud! I hate mud. I don't like it on my hands, I don't like it on my shoes, and I especially hate it on my feet. I mean, I don't like to walk barefoot through wet grass in case I might get mud on my feet. Yes, I know, therapy might help.....Anyway, yesterday Laura decided to make some gormet entree out of mud. She took my muffin tin, two old spoons (I also don't want my good spoons in the mud, even if they will wash) and a big pitcher. She sat down and was in heaven pouring the water in the dirt, making mud, and filling up the muffin tins. Lindy was happily asleep in the papasan chair and missed the whole event. Thanks, Cindy for that chair, it is a lifesaver! Anyway, I just couldn't let an opportunity go by to give my friends some relief that this child is a normal child and does enjoy outside activities, unlike her mother who liked being inside with a book or watching the news. I considered reading under a tree an outside activity. Actually, I still do! The only exception for me would be the pool. But that water is clear and clean and you can see all the way to the bottom. Just don't make me walk barefooted across grass to get to or from the pool. I did use a shovel once, when I was 31 and helping my friend who had broken her back plant petunias, I think....yet I digress.......

And, on a side note, I did find an old digital camera that we had when we lived in Knoxville, so it will do until I can get the good one fixed. How we got it is a long story and too much information, but I'm grateful for it nonetheless!

Here is what Lindy Grace thinks of mud and cooking.....

Thank You, Mimi

2008-06-11T16:21:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to take time to put up a post thanking my mom, or Mimi as she is better known in these parts, for all the time she spent with us during this time of transition adding Lindy to our family.

She took four weeks out of her busy schedule to come to Middle Tennessee and help us out. I can not adequately thank her for the meals she cooked, the laundry she did, the nights she kept Lindy with her until I needed to nurse so I could rest, the comfort she gave all four of us, her bright and happy attitude, and many other things. We all miss her so much, and not just because she is a good nanny, but for her encouragement and laughter and advice and love for all of us. She spends all of her time serving others, and she has I'd say all of her adult life. We are so grateful to be recipients of her love and service. She is a wonderful model for us, and I hope one day to be able to be like her. The best advice she ever gave me, which I still have to work on, is "Don't take yourself too seriously!" So now Kevin and I are taking care of our two children on our own like the rest of our friends who have children. I went to Walmart by myself with them both yesterday and there was only minimal crying and one temper tantrum. Laura had to remind me how to act in the store and in public.

On another note, when Mimi left last week, she took her digital camera with her, and as it was the only functional one in the house, my posts will probably not have as many photos as they have had recently. It looks like I'm going to have to send our new camera to Illinois to be fixed and it will take several weeks. I do have a wonderful 35mm film camera that works beautifully, but it isn't instant. So when there are pictures, they'll be from the old fashioned picture taking method.

And I also wanted to ask prayers for Lindy because we found out over the weekend that she is suffering from acid reflux and it causes her great pain. We got some antacid medication for her and it seems to be helping, but she still has periods every day where she is almost shreiking in her cries because her tummy hurts so much. And all we can do is hold her close and try to comfort her. The doctor said this is common, especially in babies born a bit early, and it clears up within the first year. I know this isn't cancer or anything like that, but I just hate to know she's hurting and not be able to make it go away for her. She is a sweet baby and I still can't quit looking at her. Well, except at night when I need to be sleeping. I can quit looking then because I'm just so tired. Yeah, she's a second child, isn't she? :) The reflux has been what has kept me away from the computer this week. It is hard to put up a post when the baby is writing in pain. And she's squirming and ready to get out of her papasan chairright now, so we'll go outside for some fresh air. Have a happy Wednesday!

39 and Holding?

2008-06-04T23:10:00.000-05:00

Well, today is my 39th birthday. It has been a marvelous day.....my mom is still here (she heads back to Houston tomorrow) and she took me shopping for a pair of jeans and a bathing suit. Laura and Lindy got to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa while we shopped. Kevin took me out to Olive Garden for dinner, along with his parents, my mom, and my cousin Ryan. We had a great time. I stuffed myself on the salad. I think I had like three helpings of it before my chicken parmesan (sp?) came out. It has been a happy, peaceful birthday. I must say that if you had told me last year on my birthday that to celebrate this year I'd be living in Nashville, with a new baby, and not working outside our home I would have laughed out loud! What a wonderful sense of humor God has.

I've been told that an attitude of gratitude goes a long way, so I'm going to list 39 things to be grateful for on my 39th birthday. These are not in any particular order:

The love of Jesus Christ, the gift of faith, ice cream from Marble Slab, our new Honda Odyssey, beautiful summer days, the renewal of springtime, living in a place where I get to see the seasons come and go, my precious husband Kevin, our big four year old Laura Annilee, our angel baby Melinda Grace, being part of the body of Christ, the hope of heaven, the grace of God, my grandparents Wayne and Annile Hemingway, that I am blessed with a family where everyone likes everyone else and we have a good time together, hydrangeas that are starting to come out, parents who love me and my little family, a God who can handle anything and more that I can imagine, God's precious grace, that I live in a country where we can worship the Lord without fear of persecution, our house, that we have food on the table and extra food in the fridge, that I have more clothes than I need, the gift of faithful friendship of so many people in so many places, the person for whom Lindy is named, Melinda Susan Smith, my mom's roast beef that melts in my mouth, God's wonderful redeeming grace, my mom, Beth Hemingway who has been here and done our laundry cooked our meals and helped tend to the girls for the past four weeks, disposable diapers, the gift of nursing my baby, chocolate pudding, did I mention God's great grace?, the slip and slide my mom got for Laura that bought hours of wonderful fun in our yard, the fact that I am living my dream of being a wife and mother, one year and counting of sobriety, that God gives us one day at a time to live, college football in the fall, the grace given freely by our precious Jesus.

I remember when I used to think people who were 39 were, bless their hearts, so old. It is amazing how our perspective can change as we grow up! I don't feel 39, whatever that is supposed to feel like, but I'm looking forward to living out this year and taking each day at a time. I pray for the grace to enjoy and appreciate my family and watching my children grow. I meant to have someone take a picture of our little party tonight at dinner, but I forgot (see as I get closer to 40 my memory is already slipping) so there isn't a picture tonight. May God give you rest tonight and a happy day tomorrow.

P.S. Laura's good night quote for the day

2008-06-03T22:08:00.001-05:00

After my last post, when I was talking about Laura's love for Jesus, she said the sweetest thing. I just had to write a P.S. about it. I was lying in her bed scratching her back when she said,
"When I get to heaven, I can't wait to see Jesus!" She also said she'd rather not see King Herod, whom she knows to be a mean king from the Christmas story. I told her she probably wouldn't have to see him. What a precious little soul she has. Oh to be a child again with new eyes and a tender heart.

Happy Due Date, Lindy Grace!

2008-06-03T20:51:00.000-05:00

Well, from the beginning of our surprise pregnancy, we waited and waited for this day to arrive. My due date was June 3rd. Every ultrasound dated the pregnancy with that date, so it became our favorite day. It is hard to believe that Lindy Grace is almost four weeks old now! And she is growing, growing, growing! I was lying on the couch with her curled up next to my chest yesterday and I thought about the fact that she could easily be in my belly now, and I thanked God that He had given her to us as a 6 pound baby and not a 7 to 8 pound baby. I'm not sure how much she weighs now, but I'm sure it is more than 7 pounds, and she's gotten a lot taller, although I don't have a tape measure to get the exact number of inches. As I say all this I think about the fact that Lindy is the size of the average full term baby now. She is such a blessing. She loves to look around and she loves to look into our eyes. She hasn't smiled yet, but I'm betting that she will soon. Her hair has grown some so that I can put a little bow on a clip in it. That is so cute. She only cries when she needs something, or when her tummy hurts, otherwise she's happy to look around when she's awake, or she sleeps for a few hours at a time. Laura had colic, so we didn't have any of those experiences with her for the first four or five months. I know she felt bad and was in pain.....it was terrible to not be able to help her. Laura adores Lindy. She loves to kiss on her and hold her, and she's tried to pick her up when we weren't looking. Yikes! She has, however, declined our offers to have her change poopy diapers. :) But she does watch us change them. It is going to be fun to watch them interact with each other as Lindy grows. I am an only child, so I didn't have that experience. It should be interesting to see how and if sibling rivalry plays itself out. Anyway, I love saying to people that we have two daughters now. I am so proud of Laura and Lindy and so thankful for my incredible husband, Kevin. God has been so good to us, I couldn't ask for anything more in my life. His blessings abound in our house. One of them is that Laura's favorite song right now is "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus". She sings it all the time and she talks about Him constantly. I pray that I can have a pure heart like hers. She is precious! It is time to feed Lindy Grace, so I'll end this post. Thanks for all the comments to these posts. I love hearing from people I love and miss so much! Have a happy Tuesday night, and happy Due Date to Melinda Grace!

Lindy's First Sunday at Church

2008-06-02T15:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, so now that I've gotten back on the computer, I'm ready to make more regular posts to the blog! Yesterday was Lindy's first Sunday at church. She did really well through class, as you can see she slept through it on my lap. Then she nursed through the service. We made it through the first song and then left. I'd forgotten what it was like to live in the nursing room during worship service.

No the teacher wasn't too boring, Lindy was just sleeping because she's a baby. :)
We love dressing her up for pretty pictures.
A rare moment of quiet for Daddy and Lindy Grace.
I'll keep adding more as we take them.....All is well in Middle Tennessee. Happy Monday!

Wow, what a month!

2008-05-31T14:11:00.000-05:00

My belly the night before Lindy was born......Melinda Grace Capps....one of her first pictures. She has GOOD lungs!
A rare moment of quiet.....
Laura Annilee and Lindy Grace on the day we came home....
Laura loves her little sister.....

Okay, okay, I know.....it has been WAY too long since I posted anything on this blog! And thanks to those of you who faithfully check it. It has been a busy month! Our big news is that on May 8, at 12:27pm. Melinda Grace Capps was born into our little family. We are so blessed and thankful that everything went well and we are all fine. At birth she weighed 5 pounds 15 ounces and was 18 inches long. I think now she is probably pushing 7 pounds and I'm sure she's grown another inch since then. We are all doing well at our house. Big sister Laura is making the adjustment well and loves to kiss and love on her little sister. Kevin and I are tired, as I'm sure you can imagine, and most of the time I walk around in a hazy, sleep deprived daze. Thus, the reason for no posts or emails lately! And I'll add more pics as I can. Our new digital camera broke the week before we had Lindy, so I've had to rely on my mom's camera and my 35 mm. camera for pictures. I'll post more later! Love to you all! Kara and family

I've been tagged!

2008-04-17T09:36:00.000-05:00

My friend April tagged me yesterday to list seven random things about myself. These are not in any particular order, you know, like the Top Seven Random Things About Kara.....I'm just not that creative this late in pregnancy.

1. I have lived in six different states in the US, and one foreign country in my nearly 39 years:
(And these are in order) Louisiana, New Jersey, Texas, Arkansas, Maryland, and Tennessee
And in 1994 I lived for a semester and taught in Quezaltenango, Guatemala. As a side note, my favorite places to live have been Austin, Searcy, and Knoxville.

2. I love to spell. I always have. I can't add my way out of a box, but I can spell just about anything you ask me to.

3. I am a history nerd. Particularly Russian history.

4. God allowed me to visit 12 countries before Kevin and I married, and one after:
England, Russia, Guatemala, Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Switzerland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, (well, only technically; we crossed over the "border" on the river while on safari, but the guide told us we'd now been to Namibia) Botswana, South Africa, and then Mexico on our honeymoon. By the way, the trip to Mexico was the only one I did as a "tourist".

5. I've never seen the Grand Canyon. Go figure.

6. My favorite TV shows all involve solving crimes: All three of the CSIs and my newest one is NCIS. And thanks to our DVR, I don't miss them while spending my evenings with my family! :)I can be a TV junkie on my own time. What a plus. :)

7. After all my travels, if I could go anywhere in the world on vacation, I'd choose to go to Disney World in Florida without regard to cost, and not pregnant so I could ride the rides. And with a nanny, or my mom so Kevin and I could enjoy doing some things together as a couple. Actually, I'd like to do all the fun stuff in Orlando. But I'd love, love, love to see Laura meet the Princesses. (No one said these seven things had to be realistic!)

Message from Lindy Grace

2008-04-16T23:36:00.001-05:00

Hello, Friends and Family! I know that Mommy tried to put these photos of me on the blog earlier in the week, but she is suffering from something I hear her call "pregnancy insanity", and she forgot to edit her social security number out (whatever that means) when she posted them. Thank you, Miss April, for pointing that out to her. I just wanted to take a minute from my somersaults to say hello to everyone who is eagerly awaiting my arrival and let you know what I've been up to these last 33 weeks. So far, my favorite activities are turning flips under Mommy's ribs and tickling them with my toes. They say that my head is down now, so Mommy can feel my backside resting right under her right ribcage. The thing is, she won't leave me alone! She is constantly poking around to try to feel me and figure out where I am living. I wish she'd just let me be for a little while! I am really looking forward to meeting my big sister Laura. I hear her talking to me and talking to everyone and everything that moves and she sounds very exciting. I hope I'll be able to keep up with her as I grow. Daddy loves to kiss me already, and apparently I look like him because they keep saying how much I already look like Laura. Poor Mommy....all she'll be able to do is claim that she carried us because we'll look so much like Daddy. At least he's really handsome. My favorite foods seem to be pickles, pudding, and macaroni and cheese because those are the things I keep asking Mommy for. Especially the pickles. Vlasic Dill Ovals to be exact. I think they give me the hiccups, though, so we'll have to watch that after I'm born. I can't wait to meet all of you in person in just a few weeks. They say that I'm supposed to be a birthday present for Mommy, since I am due the day before she turns 39 (whatever that means), but I hope I get my own birthday. May seems like a nice month.....I talk to Jesus a lot in here. I know He loves me and you, too. I'm going to get back to my somersaults now. See you soon! Love, Melinda Grace

Family Portraits and Trip to Memphis and Children's Museum

2008-04-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

We had our family portraits and Laura's four year portraits done yesterday (April 12) and we were so pleased with them! I can't believe how much our little toddler has grown and matured in just the last year!

Laura is studying the instruments as co-pilot.

Old friends are the best!

Kevin had business in Memphis this week, so Laura and I took a much needed break from Nashville and went to visit dear friends in Memphis while he was working. We had a wonderful time! It is such a blessing to have friends with whom it doesn't matter how long it has been since we saw each other, we just pick up like we never even left off. Charlotte and Doyle Bradsher are that way. Charlotte was one of my Matrons of Honor in our wedding and I cherish her friendship. She and I took Laura to the Children's Museum of Memphis on Thursday. We had a great time there! They have a stage and dress-up area for the children to change clothes and imagine all they want to. That was far and away Laura's favorite place in the museum. She also loved the FedEx 727 body and cockpit. I'm so thankful not to be a pilot! I've never sat in a real pilot's seat before, so I had no idea how many dials and buttons and bells and whistles there are in there! We three girls had a fun day doing that on Thursday and then Friday we did a little bit of shopping and I packed to go home with Kevin. That is my 32 weeks pregnant belly in front of the beautiful azaleas in Charlotte and Doyle's yard.

Too Sweet

2008-04-03T15:37:00.001-05:00

I just couldn't resist sharing this precious photo of the two most important people in my life resting peacefully together. Usually Laura wants me to read to her and scratch her back before she goes to sleep at night, but Sunday night she asked for Kevin. What a blessing it is to have the opportunity to get an image like this one. So often I think to myself, "It's no wonder God calls us His children...." when I see myself acting like a four year old in response to life. But He also wants us to trust in Him and rest in His loving care like children. We are blessed beyond measure and I am so grateful. On another note, Lord willing, we are going on Saturday to do Laura's four year portraits and some family shots, so hopefully I'll have some of all of us to post when we're through with that. And also, for our friends in Knoxville, we are planning to be there the weekend of the 25th and can't wait to see everyone there! I love reading blogs from everyone there.....it is like a living link to people we love and miss so dearly. Have a happy Thursday and may you find yourselves resting in our Father's love and grace.

Finally an update!

2008-03-26T14:49:00.000-05:00

Hello from Nashville! I'm so grateful to feel well enough to post at least a few pictures....I have been very sick with pneumonia and it just layed me out. Today has really been the first day I've felt even close to "normal" in the last four weeks. I thought I'd just post a few pictures from Laura's birthday celebrations (we had three as that was when family groups were in town) and some from Easter. It is hard to believe our first baby is now four. And our other one has taken up residence right under my ribcage. After March came and went with a blur of doctors' visits and trips to the pharmacy, I'm thankful it is at last April. I love seeing the beginnings of Spring. I'll be really happy when the temperatures match the season! :)

Weekend in Knoxville

2008-03-06T12:52:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time in Knoxville this past weekend! You can see Laura in her big girl dress, all ready for the "weddin", as she puts it. It was such a blessing to see old friends we love and miss so much. The picture of Laura on the couch was taken Sunday afternoon, after she'd thrown up all night Saturday night. Poor thing.....You might be able to see the difference in how she felt. Without getting into a big long description of our medical woes, I'll say that along with the stomach bug, Laura had a pretty nasty cough. By the time we got home to Nashville Monday, I was coughing, and yesterday found out I have pneumonia. Laura, thank goodness, is fine now. She is staying with Kevin's parents for the next couple of days so I can rest. Pneumonia is never good, but pneumonia while 27 weeks pregnant is actually pretty dangerous. So, please pray for me if you think of it. The problem is that my fever has been so high it puts Lindy at potential risk. And pneumonia can potentially cause early labor and delivery. I'm choosing not to put up a picture of myself as I look like a train wreck today. Kevin, thankfully, seems to have an immune system of iron, and he is just fine. He came home Monday with a dozen red roses and a beautiful diamond sapphire band to go with my wedding set. I was going to get a picture of it, but just don't have the energy. But I wanted to brag on him for his care and his romance and his tender love. I don't know what I'd do without him. I had told him something like that would be a really great anniversary gift at some point, and he delivered.....three and a half months early! God has blessed us beyond measure and I am humbled and grateful. I can tell it is time to get back to the couch. I'll send another update soon. Until then, happy Thursday!

A World of White!

2008-02-27T10:16:00.000-06:00

Here is our little Snow Angel. She has been dying to make one of these and she really had a good time doing it, as you can see!

Laura decided to help out by clearing the car of snow for me. This is her first time to really be around any snow at all. By the time we got inside she was soaked through and very cold. But she was ready for some more.

Well, we woke up this morning to much more snow than expected! I heard that the groundhog saw his shadow, so this must be what our six weeks' more winter looks like! They said it would quit snowing by morning, but as you can see, at 9:30 central time, it was coming down pretty hard. This may not seem like much to you winter veterans, but for a girl from Houston, this is a blizzard!

Laura is looking out the window in eager anticipation of getting out and IN the snow! No, she isn't wearing a shirt, and yes, it is snowing outside. I figure she'll ask for warm clothes when she gets cold enough. Her favorite outfit right now is a purple bathing suit/skirt that she considers her ballerina outfit. I actually had planned for these photos to be posted first, but I'm still learning how to do this. At any rate, you can see how the day looked. This snow is the perfect kind for skiing. As I've given my word to two different doctors to never ski again, after ruining my knee, I can only dream of those happy days going down mountains on narrow slices of metal at speeds beyond what is probably reasonable....At any rate, it has been a beautiful, cold morning. I'm sorry that Kevin isn't here to see it and play with us!

I got a new toy!

2008-02-26T21:07:00.001-06:00

So, I finally decided to join most of the rest of the modern world.....I bought a digital camera. With some reluctance, I must say, but I got one. These are two of the first images I took with it, and in spite of myself I'm really pleased with them. Of course, having a good subject makes it easier to have good pictures, doesn't it? One picture is of Laura and Grandpa (Kevin's dad) playing together. They are big buddies! In this one, they are making a train out of the Connect Four checkers. Laura likes to play "Let's go to the ball" with Grandpa, and has him dance her all over the room. What is really funny is when she gets him to dip her, like they are doing the Tango or something. As I post this, it is snowing outside our house. We aren't expecting any accumulation, but it is really pretty. Kevin is in Memphis with work for a few days, and we already miss him. He goes down there at least twice a month for a few days at a time. He is doing really well in his job and I am very proud of him and grateful for his hard work. If the Lord wills, we are planning a trip to Knoxville this weekend for a wedding of Kevin's former roommate. We can't wait to get there and see people we love and miss. Next week I'll post some of those pictures. This digital camera thing is actually kind of nifty. Instant gratification and instant sharing. We decided we wanted to get one before Melinda is born and before Laura's birthday. I thought it might be good to not be fumbling around with a brand new camera in the delivery room. My hesitation comes from the fact that I am a big snob about how clear the pictures are with my SLR film camera. But do I go and process those pictures as often as I take them....at $10 a pop? No. Do I take pictures as often as I'd like, knowing I'll have to process them and wait for them? No. So I decided I'll use that camera for my portrait type pictures and use this one for everything else. Until I learn how to do portrait types with this one. That should be fun. It is a cute little thing, a Panasonic.

25 Weeks!

2008-02-21T20:01:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally remembered to have Kevin take a "belly shot" of this pregnancy. I think we did this at least every month with Laura, but this is the first one with Lindy. Poor thing. They say subsequent children don't have as many pictures taken of them as the first one. The way I organize photos (I don't really much), both girls are going to be looking through Walmart bags to find pictures of themselves as they grow up. I admire people who are able to scrapbook and beautifully document their children's lives.....maybe when they are teenagers I will at least get the pictures in shoeboxes. Maybe. We've spent the bulk of the last few weeks in and out of Kevin's parents' home helping as Mary Rose recovers from her surgery. Thankfully she is doing really well and getting back on her feet. We are grateful they found the blockage and were able to take care of it before she got too sick. Now I'm working on planning a party for Laura's fourth birthday. I can't believe she is turning four. She is such a joy and a delight. Our house is decked out in pink and Princess garb, and with another girl on the way I suppose it will stay that way. Kevin tonight was able to identify the specific Princess Laura was "tatending" to be by her song. I'm sure growing up he didn't think he'd be naming the Princesses individually at any point in his life. Superbowl quarterbacks, maybe, but not the Princesses. On that note I'll close tonight. We love and miss you all!

This and That

2008-02-11T22:34:00.000-06:00

I thought I might give a dictionary, of sorts, of some of Laura's key phrases and mispronunciations. Kevin and I think they are so cute, I just have to share them!

1. puz-(because): "I don't want to go to bed puz I am not tired anymore."

2. peelut buller-(peanut butter): "Mama, can I have a peelut buller and jelly sandwich?"

3. Beggie Tales-(Veggie Tales): "It's time fur Beggie Tales!"

4. fur-(for): "It's not time fur bed yet!"

5. fank you-(thank you): "No, fank you, I don't want to go to bed."

~This substitution applies to most of the "th" words

And my favorite thing she says when Kevin is out of town and she's unhappy with me:
"I WANT KEVIN!!!!!!!" I just tell her to stand in line!

Belly Dancing

2008-02-08T13:14:00.000-06:00

It's been an eventful week for those of us who live in Middle Tennessee. We started the week with the largest tornado outbreak in more than 20 years and lost around 30 people in our part of the state to the storm damage. Our county, Sumner, is now a Federal Disaster Area, with many homes and businesses destroyed late Tuesday night. It was eerie at our house that night as we heard the wind and saw the hail coming down. Storms at night are always a bit more scary to me because I can't see what's coming. We had three different sets of tornado warnings through the late evening and into the early morning. I am thankful that our family was not directly affected by the weather and we pray for those who were. One thing I love about these trials is the stories of hope from people who survive. We've already heard many stories of bravery and selflessness of so many. At the same time, Kevin's mom, Mary Rose, has been in the hospital all week with an obstructed small bowel. She had surgery to repair it on Wednesday afternoon, and hopefully will be able to come home by Monday. The night of the storms was not very restful for her as they brought all the patients in the hospital into the hallways when under tornado warnings. We are so thankful that she is okay and should make a full recovery. I titled this entry Belly Dancing because the baby in my belly gives us a show every night these days. I could run a clock by her movements. She is pretty still through the days and early evenings, but at 10:00 every night she goes into overdrive and keeps me awake late into the night. She gets the hiccups very regularly, which just cracks me up. The movements are still small enough that Laura hasn't been able to really see them, but Kevin and I marvel to think that there is a precious little person growing in there. We can't wait to meet our little Lindy Grace and see what God will do with her. I love being pregnant, and savor the miracle that God has allowed me to take part in, not once, but twice. We're through the first 23 weeks and only have 17 more. I like being on that side of the hump. I thought since I posted a photo of our first girl in the last post, I'd post our most recent "portrait" of Lindy. In the first picture you can see she is sucking her thumb. And the bottom one is of her tiny feet. We can already count ten toes! What a blessing and sacred responsibility we've been given. Thanks to our family and friends, we are surrounded by love and support and humor as we rear these children to grow in God's image.

Technologically Challenged!

2008-02-05T16:05:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'm trying to figure out how to upload photos to this blog.....my pregnancy hormones nearly got the best of me while working on this, but I think we have success!

Life is just so.....daily......

2008-02-05T15:18:00.000-06:00

.....Which is why I thought a blog would be a good idea. When I thought at first about starting a blog, I thought, "Our lives aren't interesting enough for a blog." But as days go by, I think of our friends and family and think how I'd love to share a funny story, or something sweet Laura says, but rarely get on email to share. Following my cousin Jenni's lead, I'm going to start posting events in our daily lives. Most everyone knows what has been going on in our lives lately, but just to update, we're living in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a suburb north of Nashville. Kevin started a new job he loves last August, and I get to stay home and tend to Laura, who will be four on March 16. We are also expecting our second daughter, Melinda Grace (Lindy), at the beginning of June. Life is sweet for us and we are blessed beyond measure. Every good and perfect gift truly is from the Father Above, and we can't thank Him enough for what He does in our lives every day. The photo of Kevin and Laura was taken while they play Laura's favorite game, "Let's get married!" The effect isn't quite the same because she took off her "veil", which was a washcloth situated diagonally on her head, but Kevin's top hat speaks volumes for how much fun they had. The other one is one of Laura's Christmas portraits. We didn't order one of these to send in the Christmas cards, but they really caught her true personality with this one.