Switching To BlogSpot

I have had such a hard time uploading pictures through this program, so I began researching blogging websights a few week ago. Blake and I decided to go with blogspot due to it’s simplicity! No editing necessary!

Keep up with the Ring family at www.joyfullyjourneying.blogspot.com…

The Traditional “Belly Photos”

I haven’t been very consistent in taking the traditional “belly photos”, but my out of town family and friends have convinced me to batten down and begin the tradition. Here are the first two…

 Lydia and Riley at 22 wks

Lydia and Riley at 22 wks

Dooms Day

Ok… Perhaps that is a bit dramatic!

This morning Blake and I had to be up at 4:30 am to get ready to take Will to the hospital for his circumcision… I woke up at 2:30 am, though, and lay awake worrying and praying until 4:30. We had to be there by 6:00 for his out patient surgery. You wouldn’t think of this as being a day for photos, but as we sat for an hour waiting for them to take him back I couldn’t resist snapping a few of him in his hospital gown.

Will was such a trooper. The nurses were telling Blake of how cute and funny he was when they took him from us: laughing and smiling and waving. Thats our little boy. There was about 30 minutes of uncontrollable crying when he came to and it was utterly heartbreaking seeing as how Will seldom cries hard enough to produce tears!

We are home now for a week of recouperation!

Daddy and Will sitting on the hospital bed waiting for the surgeon to come in and see us!

Daddy and Will playing…

Even though only 2 people are supposed to be back in the room at one time, the sweet nurse let Grammy and Grandpa Cook back with us to keep Will occupied while waiting. They had to put his hospital bracelet around his ankle because his wrist was so small!

Snow, Snow, and more Snow

I am a Florida girl through and through! I love flip flops. I love laying out. I love beach towels. I love the smell of the ocean… The Lord has quite a sense of humor! We had several beautiful days at the beginning of the week(about 2 weeks ago) and then this is how He ended the week for us! Praise Jesus…

Blake and Will on their way outside to play in the snow!

Blake and Will outside in the snow!

New Shirts and Sippy Cups

One side of Blake’s family came over from Ireland a few generations ago. They changed their last name from O’Reilly to Riley(hence our little girls name) and are all extremely proud of their heritage.

Blake is determined that our children appreciate St. Patricks Day the same way he does, so here is our little Hispanic boy wearing his new shirt proudly!

On a different note, Blake and I are extremely proud and happy to announce that Will is now able to handle his own sippy cup! It has been a family project for months and our poor little boys arms have just been too short. A few days ago, I sat his cup in front of him and turned back around to find his holding it! YEAH! The small victories in parenting…

And Riley Is A…

We got bring whoever we wanted with us to the ultrasound of baby Riley today, so Blake and I took full advantage! His parents came into town. My parents came and my spiritual sister Jessica came. And then of course Blake, Will and I were all there. When the technition when out to get them all I warned her there were alot of people and she was laughing when she walked back in with all of them trailing behind.

What an amazing use of technology! The things I watched Riley do… Amazed that it was all happening inside of me! My doctor walked in and the tech and she were discussing how easy and clear it was to see the sex: I assumed that meant a “boy” and as I was about to ask, my doctor announced, “It’s a girl!”

 I was in complete shock! I had honestly assumed Riley was a little boy from the way they were all speaking and to hear “Girl”… I spontaneously burst into tears! What a blessing from the Lord…

So Riley Lynn is set to make her debut into the world on July 27, 2008… We can’t wait to meet her!

Happy Birthday Will!

 

We had no idea what was happening on January 10, last year, but it has turned out to be one of the most important days in the lives of Blake and I. On January 10, 2007 our first child was born in Guatemala.

Life a year later is so sweet… We simpy could not fathom how we didn’t know what a special day it was at that time last year . Last night we celebrated Will’s first birthday with his Grammy and Papa and Uncle John and Uncle Paul.

 Happy Birthday to our sweet little boy! How blessed we are to have him in our life!

It is just Riley in here…

How exciting it has been this holiday season! Our first Christmas with a child was so full of joy. Will was blessed with more toys then he could have ever imagined, and yet found the wrapping paper to be much more fun! Oh the heart of a child…

Blake and I decided on the first name of our second child. We chose a family name from Blake’s side: Riley. It was Blake’s precious grandparents last name and his mother’s maiden name. We haven’t settles on middle names yet and are just gonna sit tight until we find out what our little one is…

I had my first doctor’s appointment the week before Christmas. You should have seen the look on Blake’s face when I told him I was to return that next week (only 3 days after Christmas) to have an ultrasound. My doctor, Shannon Thomas, said that I was progressing a little more quickly then she would normally expect and that along with my intense sickness she wanted to check to see whether there was one or two in there…

 Blake came with me and we got to hear Riley’s heartbeat for the first time… Neither of us really knew what to do except stare at my doctor in awe. From there we headed down the hallway for the ultrasound where the tech quickly cleared up the mystery of the week by declaring there was only one baby in my belly! 2 would have been a blessing, but I must admit the thought of 3 children 18 months and under was absolutely terrifying to me!:)

We are now just looking forward to the end of my first trimester which comes in about 3 weeks, hoping and praying the all day sickness will let up… But aren’t children always worth whatever it takes? I would certainly say they are…

 

Another book that I like to read my baby boy… I wish this for you baby Will:

One day I counted your fingers and kissed each one. One day the first snowflaskes fell, and I held you up and watched them melt on your baby skin. One day we crossed the street and you held my hand. Then, you were my baby and now you are my child. Sometimes, when you sleep, I watch you dream and I dream too… That someday you will dive into the cool, clear water of the lake. Someday you will walk into a deep wood. Someday your eyes will be filled with a joy so deep that they shine. Someday you will run so fast and far you heart will feel like fire. Someday you will swing high-so high, higher that you ever dared to swing. Someday you will hear something so sad that you will fold up with sorrow. Someday you will call a song to the wind, and the wind will carry your song away. Someday I will stand on this porch and watch your arms waving to me until I no longer see you. Someday you will look at this house and wonder how something that feels so big can look so small. Someday you will feel a small weight against you strong back. Someday I will watch you brishing your child’s hair. Someday, a long time from now, your own hair will glow silver in the sun. And when that day comes, love, you will remember me.

By: Alison McGhee and Peter H. Reynolds

On The Night You Were Born

He is only 11 months old tomorrow, but Will loves books. He will sit in my lap and listen with more patience then I have to even read the book. But this one… This is a book I love to read to him:

On the night you were born, the moon smiles with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered, “Life will never be the same.: Because there had never been anyone like you… ever in the world.

So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain that they whispered the sound of your wonderful name. The sound of your name is a magical one. Let’s say it out loud before we go on.

It sailed through the farmland high on the breeze… Over the ocean… And through the trees… Until everyone heard it and everyone knew of the one and only ever you.

Not once had there been such eyes, such a nose, such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes. In fact, I think I’ll count to three so you can wiggle your toes for me.

When the polar bears heard, they danced until dawn. From faraway places, the geese flew home. The moon stayed up until morning next day. And none of the ladybugs flew away.

So whenever you doubt just how special you are and you wonder who loves you, how much and how far, listen for geese honking high in the sky. (They’re singing a song to remember you by.) Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo. (It’s because they’ve been dancing all night for you!) Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind. (Listen closely… it’s whispering your name again!)

If the moon stays up until morning one day, or a ladybug lands and decides to stay, or a little bird sits at your window awhile, it’s because they’re all hoping to see you smile… For never before in story or rhyme (not even once upon a time) has the world ever known a you, my friend, and it never will, not ever again…

Heaven blew every trumpet and played every horn on the wonderful, marvelous night you were born.

“For you are fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139

By Nancy Tillman