Would You Pray?...

Below is what I copied off of my cousin Katie's blog...she has some pics too, but her blog is private so I can't just send you to it. She said everything much better than I ever could have. So if you would please pray for our cousin Kristen and her family tonight. Having an infant son and being only 7 months removed from a birth experience, this really hit home when my mom called today. I can't imagine what they are going through and what their daughter might be afraid of tonight...my heart breaks for them!


"My cousin Kristen Pridgen is in ICU in Nashville. Yesterday morning, she went in to be induced to give birth to her second daughter (her first is Sarah Grayson who was one of my flower girls and is now 10). They went in happy and excited to meet their new addition and we couldn't wait to get word that she was here and all was well.
Kristen gave birth to Jacquelyn Regan Pridgen this morning at 1:00 am Central time. She was 6 lbs, 4 oz and 18" long and I hear she's a precious doll-baby (no surprise, Ricky and Kristen are gorgeous parents). Kristen immediately began feeling bad and they had to do an emergency hysterectomy. She's currently still in a medically induced coma and they are leaving her open through the night to make sure she has stopped bleeding. They will suture her tomorrow if it has stopped entirely.
You never, ever think that something like this is going to happen to you when you go in for one of the happiest days of your life. The doctor told my family that had she asked him to save her reproductive system that he might not have been able to save her life. He said that too often, moms tell the doctors to do what they have to so that they can have more children in the future and that by the time they realize there is nothing they can do to save the uterus, it is too late to save the patient. So praise God that she was able to tell him to do what he deemed necessary.
Please pray for the bleeding to stop, for Ricky and Sarah Grayson (her 10 year old) to rest tonight, that Kristen will be okay when they bring her out of sedation, that Baby Reagan will continue to remain healthy and strong and they they all have a peace that surpasses all understanding during this trying time. I will keep you posted."

Thanks for you prayers!!!!

Little Man's Dedication

Timothy's Dedication was a few weeks ago. I know, how terrible that I am just now posting pics! However, I did spend 1 whole day attempting to upload the actual video of his dedication...(I will keep trying.)

It was an extremely special day for us! We love this little guy so much! I will keep it brief and just let you look at the pics. Below is what we prayed over him and asked our church family to pray for him as well. What a blessing and honor to have so many people stand with us, committing to help lead Timothy to the Father so that he may realize his need for God and receive His forgiveness, grace, new life, and righteousness!

"Our hope and prayer for Timothy is that he would recognize his need for a Savior at an early age and that God would use his joyful and winsome personality to reflect Christ to all people...that in all circumstances, as Habakuk prayed, his joy would be found in God his Savior alone and that the LORD would be his strength."

We love you sweet boy!

Lots more pics in the photo album....AND coming soon...update on our visit with Uncle Dana!!! Only some of you will laugh at that, but what a surprise you will get when you read how the visit went!:):) btw...Uncle Dana, your presence has DAILY been requested over breakfast!!! haha!!

Having Fun!...

That's what we've been up to! Lots of silliness and giggles. I am trying to just enjoy Emily and Timothy at the age they are each at without much of a daily agenda. I am discovering the more giggles, smiles, silly dancing, pretending, and singing that occurs, the less constant correction and frustration occur! Don't get me wrong, we still have some 3 year old drama and tantrums taking place, but is seems to diminish when we are busy and silly and having lots of fun!

The kiddos are each blowing me away. Emily is always asking questions and trying to figure things out. She has a ridiculous memory and loves to pretend and sing and dance. She loves anything crafty/creative and is all about rhyming words and writing her letters, of which I think she is writing about 12-15 well. She continues to love books and is still quite obsessed with CARS and Imagination Movers. Most of all, I have been cherishing all of the ways that we talk about God all throughout the day. There are so many opportunities all day long where I get the chance to bring something full circle and talk with her about our need for a Savior. It never feels heavy or like a "lesson." It is in the everyday things that we do and experience. I love that we can pray together at any moment during the day about anything. Her knowledge of the Father at this tender age is already being established and rooted, not by her Sunday experience alone, but by what we are living every single day. Everything that comes with that...learning to be selfless, thankful, and content, learning truth, learning that we need forgiveness and that we need to grant it, learning humility, learning how to serve others, learning the need for obedience and the pain of consequence, learning how to speak in kindness and love...there are so many things that she is learning about the nature of God and it fills my soul to see her beginning to grasp it all!! We are so thankful for her compassionate and sweet little spirit. She blesses my heart more than I could ever have imagined possible!

Timothy is doing lots of new things as well. He is SO smiley!! I can't stress enough how happy that little guy is. He is an absolute joy to be around! His new tricks these days include rolling over front to back and finally back to front. He loves to get up on his hands and knees and rock back and forth like crazy. He can move a bit as well, but I don't think I would officially label it crawling just yet!:) He is also making tons of new sounds and gets so excited when he is "talking" to us. I think the biggest "new" thing for little man is that he is eating food and LOTS of it!! So far, he has enjoyed avocado, brown rice cereal, ground oats, banana, and plums. The plums still make him pucker a bit, but he is thoroughly enjoying everything else. And I am enjoying making his food again. I can't wait until he gets to try lots more things. I think it is pretty fun to make new foods and the satisfaction of saving tons of money on baby food and the variety factor can't be beat. I know, I really need to get out more!...haha!:) We are at amazed at how much he wants to eat. I am already dreading our food bill increasing in the years to come...ugghhh!!! We are really enjoying this new season with him and all the fun that he has brought to our family!

Since this is somewhat of a family update, I will say that Derek and I are doing well too! We are enjoying this stage of life and the challenges that it brings. I was recently able to share with Derek about the funk that I had been in. After that conversation, God has reminded me in various ways, on a daily basis, of why He needs to be our foundation and what He has given me in a God-loving and God-fearing leader for our family! I am really trying to do some things different for our family and I can already see a difference in the amount of joy and thankfulness that I have. I am blessed with a wonderfully incredible husband and children. God has given me priceless friendships and mentors and a church family that blows me away. I want to "live" in the fullness of what those gifts bring to my life on a daily basis and am praying every day that I would be thankful. The other day, one of our friends said something like, the more thankful you are, the more joy it brings...I want to live in the light of that truth!

That's all on the Kramer's for now! I have some great pics of Timothy's dedication and will try and post those later in the week. For now, here are some sillies from around the house...

yummy...avocado for the first time!!

so happy to be eating rice cereal!

Emily being giggly...probably because her Daddy said something funny!

trying to do "cross-eyed"...Em thinks this is absolutely hilarious!! I did it during breakfast one morning and it has brought hours of laughter since then.