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Half Full

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Happy half-birthday to Baby Gray!

This crazy looking iPhone photo (my good camera is in the shop; sad story) sort of summarizes our lazy day at home. We’re playing catch up from a busy weekend and letting him just be a kid!

I can’t believe he is already so old–it has flown by.

At 18 months, he’s got a whole bag full of tricks.

He’s pretty verbal; he has a word for most nouns along with a some others.
He loves to eat! We’re slowing wading into the toddler picky phase, but he does pretty well most of the time.
He loves electronics–if it has a button, he’ll take it!
Any time I make a phone call, he thinks we’re calling Annie to FaceTime.
He loves to drive or ride bikes.
He cleans up his toys and puts away his dirty clothes when asked.
He can follow one-step directions.

I know there’s more, but I’m at a loss. He learns so much each day and is always doing new things. I love watching him grow and change!

Baby Gray/growing up/talking

Operator, Put Me Through

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Baby Gray is into phones big time! Wednesday, he finally started saying hello when he holds [whatever object he deems necessary] up to his ear as his phone.

Yes, those are our actual de-batteried electronics. You can tell we watch TV and use our landline phone a lot, huh?

2012/blessings/reading

Coming to Life

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Something I’ve never done is read the Bible in its entirety. I’ve done the open-your-Bible-and-point method, the read-what-you-think-you-need method, and the read-from-a-specific-devotional-for-a-while method, but I’ve only gotten bits and pieces using those practices.

Close to the beginning of this year, I was introduced to Bible Gateway, which emails specific parts of the Bible each day for you to read. You can choose the translation, which testament, and I think some other options. I chose to receive some old testament and new testament scriptures each day.

It has been so cool to read as a continuation. My favorite thing has been God’s timing with it. So many scriptures have come to life in messages at C3 or Revolution as I’ve read them. Passages I haven’t paid much attention to in the past have a meaning and a life now.

Aggies/blessings/prayer/Rylynn

Cliff Hanger

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

I’ve shared a little about Rylynn, our friends’ little girl born with a broken heart, but I never shared the fruits of all those prayers. Rylynn got a new heart almost six months ago! She is doing well, and she has even been featured in several of Dallas Children’s TV episodes. You think Grey’s Anatomy is intense? Imagine watching the surgery of a little girl you actually know. I just sob and pray as I watch. It is incredible what the doctors are doing at Children’s.

To see Rylynn’s episodes, go to the Children’s YouTube page. To follow up on her story, you can read their family blog as well. Rylynn also has a COTA page, which helps fund her transplant. Please add this sweet family to your prayer list as they continue to thrive.

2012/Baby Gray/blessings/goals

Express Yourself

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Yesterday was Monday. Monday means our weekly trip to HEB. A trip to HEB means we have to check out. Being in the check out line usually means Baby Gray becomes impatient.

Yesterday was different, though. Baby Gray was sad in the check out line because I had given in and let him have a squeezie (the fruit pouches they can suck the puree out of on their own) while we shopped. His squeezie hit empty about the time we parked in the check out line. He signed please; I explained we would get something else to eat after we checked out. He signed more; I explained we would get something else to eat after we checked out. He whimpered a little; I explained we would get something else to eat after we checked out. He got upset and wrung his hands; I explained we would get something else to eat after we checked out. About that time, an older lady got in line behind us. She tried to make him smile. She tried again. Then, she looked at me and asked, “Who teaches them to act like that?”

My heart broke. She didn’t ask in a way that implied she thought I taught him to throw a fit; she did ask in a way that implied he was being ugly with his actions. I tried really hard not to be rude when I explained that he simply does not have the words to express himself. He wanted some more of his snack and couldn’t understand why I wasn’t obliging. That’s it. He wasn’t manipulating me; he wasn’t being ugly.

In my goals for 2012, I vowed that I would remember that he is just a little boy.

I will take delight in my son. I will find joy in the fun times and the challenging times. He’ll turn two later this year, and we won’t have the terrible twos in our home. I’m not letting them in; we will pray them out. Even on days when things are not going so great, I will remind myself that he is just a little boy; he doesn’t plan to upset me or make me mad. He is merely expressing himself the best way he knows how. I will let him be little. I will strive to have patience, and take a break or count to ten when it runs out. Terrific twos, here we come!

I hope I can inspire others to remember that as well.

blessings/Revolution/writing

Rolling in the Deep

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Every now and then, I do a little heart check to make sure I’m in the right place when I write. Prompted by yesterday’s message at Rev, it’s that time again.

Yesterday’s message was Stuff for Single Ladies, but I took so much away from it. Kelly Dykstra spoke so clearly ~~to me~~ about being a blessing to others. She was using it in terms of Facebook status updates and such, but since I don’t do much of that, I’m checking my heart here, where I am. Why do I write? I write to share God’s blessings in our life; I write for the shared experiences with distant friends and family; I write for memories to share with Baby Gray.

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

² Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

–Psalm 107:1-2 (emphasis mine)

I want this to be a living testimony of the amazing things God does in our hearts and lives. I want to tell our story. We have so much to be grateful for, whether it’s a simple story about Baby Gray petting a dead hog (with my teenage nephew who doesn’t mind hanging out with his uncle, aunt, and baby cousin on a Saturday afternoon–blessing!) or a scripture God has laid on my heart. Sometimes it’s a recipe or a craft; others it’s just an anecdote that might help other moms, wives, friends, sisters, etc know that someone else is living what they’re living! I’m not always deep, or specifically biblical, but I do believe my heart for sharing is right.

Revolution Worship Band Plays Rolling In The Deep from Revolution Church on Vimeo.

Baby Gray/popcorn/snack

Cream of the Pop

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

There’s something about the smell of popcorn that’ll just make your mouth water. Everyone in our house loves pa-pa.

We were buying the Homestyle microwavable popcorn for quite some while, but then we found this cool popper.

Mr. Gray got it for Christmas, and we haven’t looked back. Now I can buy any ol’ popcorn–it’s cheap!

Two minutes later, ta-da!

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Crate & Barrel; I just think this popper is the coolest thing since sliced bread.

art/crafts/gifts/Mr. Gray

Clearly Defined

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

I’ve mentioned my tendency to dive in head first on crafty projects before. Crafty I can do. Artsy is sometimes another story entirely. Saturday was one of those days. I had a cute idea for a gift, but I couldn’t quite pull the card off on my own.

Thank goodness my knight in painted armor was home!

Me: (Cutting scraps of bags and paper to print part of the card on and sulking because I’m out of rubber cement) Sorry for being all over the top about this gift. I just want it to be cute.

Mr. Gray: This is over the top? This is how you always do gifts.

I’m glad we had that talk.

I showed him the shape I needed him to draw for my idea to come to life.

Source: etsy.com via Mrs. on Pinterest

It seriously took him about 25 seconds to do it–symmetry and all! Then, to add the final touches, he painted the edges for some definition.

Just to clarify, he painted the edges over a scrap piece so that he could create a fine line as the outline–genius! I always marvel at all his tips and tricks.

At least I’m not over the top alone.

Baby Gray/family day/fun/Mr. Gray

Game. Set. Match.

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Mr. Gray got home super early yesterday evening. Add on the extra hour of daylight we gained this weekend, and we had about two extra hours to play. Baby Gray “mowed” the yard, played on his playscape, and rode his bike. Then, in a decision totally unrelated to Mr. Gray’s showdown with Momma Bird, we headed to the tennis court! Oh, my goodness. So fun!

Baby Gray had plenty of room to roam and chase tennis balls around. He was throwing balls, chasing them, and running all over the place. It’s the perfect fenced-in toddler play area!

This was easily the cheapest fun Baby Gray has had in his entire lifetime.

I foresee more trips to the tennis courts in our future.

Specifically this Thursday evening when Mr. Gray tries to back up his trash talking in a match of epic proportions.

Momma Bird knows who my money is on.