Thankful Day 3

This weekend kept me busy so I'm playing a bit of catch-up. :)

Day 3- I'm Thankful for these two.

Yep, my fur babies. Paris (top) & Gus.

I know, cue the whole, "Seriously, her cats?!" I get it. There are sadly, people out there in the world who don't like animals or cats or have ever had animals and they miss out on so much.

We rescued Paris the summer before we were married. I nursed her back to health and she soon became our little family. Then we got married, she gained weight and was lonely being all alone all day while we worked/went to school, so for my 21st birthday Evan brought home Gus. They both have been with us in EVERY phase of our marriage. Through the good, the bad, the scary, the funny and the huge changes and little changes.

They don't judge us, they are never not available and their personalities are so polar opposite that it's funny to watch them just be with each other. I seriously, don't know what I would do without them.

So I am THANKFUL for our sweet kittos. For their endless love, annoying habits, snuggles, snores and overall completeness to our growing family. It just wouldn't be the same without them.

Thankful: Day 2

Day 2- I'm Thankful for bad parenting.


I know, I know. Some of you are sitting there re-reading that and going "Say wha?!" but hear me out....

My past is no secret, my family life is no secret and my struggles with acceptance and family drama is especially no secret. I spent so much of my life being bitter, angry, discouraged and often times just rebellious until I got married and then things started changing for me.

Now that I'm a mom and wife and have been shown what a real family is with my amazing in-loves I no longer have all these painful feelings or fears I struggled with. I've cut ties with the majority of my family simply because they will never be alright with me NOT being part of the drama and cycle they seemingly love to stay in, not too mention my overwhelming need to mother or help out or give advice always seemed to backfire and I seemed to forever be to blame for everything when all I did was try to help. I thought it would be hard but in reality, I have NEVER been as happy, positive or motivated or just relieved or accepting of who I am as I have been in the last year. It's amazing and it clearly shows in me on the inside and out.

So yes, I am THANKFUL for Bad Parenting. To my birth parents who just couldn't get it right and made poor choices repeatedly which in the end resulted in their children being separated and lives being more difficult than most. I am Thankful. I'm Thankful for the harsh upbringing, the struggles and all. It helped me become who I am today, it instilled such a fear in me to stay on the right path( not that I always followed it), fight for what I wanted in and for my life and to not settle on being what so many assumed I would be simply because of who my birth parents were. Without their mistakes I doubt my life would be as blessed as it is now, I doubt I'd be as great of a mom as I am if I didn't strive to be the mother I wish I had growing up. I wouldn't have married the most amazing man whose faith in me even when I was broken has restored so much and has made me strong. I just have so much to Thank them for rather than blame them for, I wasted too much of my life thinking the opposite.

Thankful: Day 1.

Day 1:

I am THANKFUL for Health.

Not just my health, but the health of my family. So many people take it for granted until something happens. This year alone we have witnessed 3 sweet families deal with cancer in their precious children all under 3yrs old.  As a mom, I can only hold them in prayer and selfishly thank God for keeping Avery happy and healthy.

We've seen small colds, bad allergies and even Evans dad being diagnosed with diabetes. With the one and so far ONLY issue this pregnancy being Gestational Diabetes I must say we are thankful for health, for being healthy and for Evans job giving us the health insurance to cover the costs in case we ever need a doctor.

So many people do not have this, so many people have had trials with their health this year or struggle with medicines, disease, cancer, not being able to afford health care or just poor health in general. So many of us oftentimes take it for granted.

November.

It's here, it's here!

November. The time of year where FALL officially comes to life in Texas, Thanksgiving arrives and the shopping and countdown to Christmas begins. I must say it saddens me how stores try to rush the holidays on us. Halloween is less than a day past and yet most stores have had Christmas decor/gifts/themes/etc. out for weeks now!!!

Slow down people.

Don't even get me started on how commercialized Christmas has become either, people forget far to easily what the TRUE meaning of Christmas is and why we celebrate it.

I woke up this morning just excited about November. I have no real reason why, it just lifted my spirit. I think the realization that the end of the year and holidays and so many events are fast approaching just makes "Little Miss's" arrival more real for me. As I said before, there are so many changes happening for us and we are so excited about them.(Such As)

1. Family pictures/ Avery's school pictures.
2. Avery's Thanksgiving feast at School.
3. Starting on the girls room.
4. Thanksgiving. (super low-key this year)
5. Avery's Birthday pics.
6. My Baby Shower.
7. Avery's 4th Birthday.
8. Christmas
9. Our 7th Anniversary.
10. NYE
11. Jarrod & Sarah's visit.
12. Little Miss's arrival.

All within the next 79 DAYS!

Also, in an attempt to blog more and not drive FB people crazy, I will be doing my DAILY November Thankful post. Rather than waiting for the end of the month I plan on taking a few moments a day to blog about something I am truly Thankful for this year.

Can YOU think of a few things you are Thankful for this year? Anything you are looking forward to in the coming days/weeks?

-Britt & Co.

Things are about to change around here....

I feel like I am repeating myself a lot and sounding more and more like a broken record. Time is just rushing by it seems and this pregnancy has been proof of just that! It's already the end of October! Weren't we all just talking about the end of summer and school starting again?!

Life is still blissfully busy yet mundane for the Hartfield house. We are getting geared up to start organizing and redoing a lot of the house to welcome Little Miss come January. Hard to believe I am already 6m into this pregnancy. Avery is getting excited about being a big sister and has had her ups and downs with dealing with the reality that she is about to share the spotlight. I knew it would happen, I've prayed about it and have tried my best to just reassure her that she is still my girl and she is still loved by everyone. Some days are good, others are a trial. Bless her sweet heart.

Since the girls are sharing a room I have been in full on decorating and envisioning mode. Between Nan and I though, this is going to be so fun and Avery will have more room to play and still have her own space while Little Miss has her side too. I think that since she will be in our room the first several months that Avery will get used to the transition and will probably throw a fit that her baby sister isn't in her bed and is in her bassinet all the time. Anything to make it easier for everyone. I'm secretly starting to panic about being a mom of 2!!

I feel very huge but I know I'm not. Other than having gestational diabetes, this pregnancy has been AMAZING and I am loving it. Little Miss is a mover and a kicker and getting to share those kicks with Avery has given me such sweet memories. Avery is all about her sister, and loves to kiss her and blow bubbles on her and make her kick her hand and talks to her about her day at school to her fave cartoons to laying down the rules once baby sister "comes out to play with me". Let's hope it stays that way well into the teen years.

Other than pregnancy, getting ready to start getting ready for another little one, Avery and her school and Evan busy with work...life is just life and I don't have much to report on. Avery is going to be a Princess for Halloween and last night we carved pumpkins. No trick or treating as I just don't feel safe with her doing that let alone she's 3 and doesn't need all that candy so she will wear her costume for school and our Church's trunk or treat. Nina and Pawpa may be taking her to the Malloween next Saturday but they may have a better plan of spending their time together. :)

I'll end with a few pictures of life lately.

Until next time,
Brittnye

Feeding her piggy bank...

Can you believe she will be 4 soon!?

Decorating her Pumpkin.

She touched the inside of the pumpkin then told Evan it was icky and she couldn't help him with it because she was a girl. He made her Hello Kitty pumpkin from her shirt and she was sooooo happy.