Mary and Travis

Bed Rest

2012-02-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

Well, today I was put on partial bed rest for the rest of the week! I got up and did my normal routine in the morning to get ready for work. When Will woke up him and I were snuggling on the couch and I started noticing my stomach kept tightening and I had a little cramping but I just chalked it up to JT stretching and moving around. Once I got to work, the cramps began to increase in pain. I didn't have this with Will so I decided to call the doctor just to make sure and 2 days prior to this, I had severe back pain that brought me to tears. I couldn't do anything but lay down. Once the doctor reviewed my symptoms, she suggested I take the next two days off of work and continue to rest throughout the weekend. Thankfully, Travis is home this week to help out so I can rest. I came right home and have been in the bed ever since and I'm already starting to get bored! It will be a long 3 weeks if I have to stay like this until he arrives. I will check back in with my doctor on Monday and from there she will determine if I need to take the rest of the time off. So, for now I will take advantage of the rest and try to just relax!

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T19:24:00.001-08:00

Today is the first time in 6 years since Travis and I have been together that we have been able to celebrate Valentine's Day. It was nice to have him home and spend that time together with Will. Will had a valentine's party at his sitter's house and they gave each other valentine's, decorated their bags to put their goodies in, and made sugar cookies. When we got home from work, we gave Will his Valentine's card from us and went through all of his goodies from his friends. Travis surprised me at work with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It made my day and brought a smile to my face!

Date Night

2012-02-12T05:19:00.001-08:00

Last night Travis and I got to go out on a date just the two of us! We haven't had one since we were home in the summer and my parents gave us a few nights out so it's been awhile. Will's sitter does date night for the parents for Valentine's Weekend so it was good to know he was going to be in good hands and we could go and enjoy ourselves without worrying if he was ok. Will loves it there and being with all of the kids so we knew he would be happy! We went to one of our favorite places to eat, Olive Garden, and then just spent time talking which we don't always get to do without Will with us. Of course, we talked about how much we missed him in the few short hours we were away from him and how anxious we are about meeting our new little bundle in just a few short weeks. We felt like a part of us was missing since the three of us are always together. It definitely felt great getting out and being with each other and spending time just the two of us.

35 1/2 weeks

2012-02-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a more recent picture of me at 35 1/2 weeks! You can tell I'm definitely tired by this point and this was after Will thought it would be fun to wake up at 4:15am for the day!!! Gotta love teething!

35 1/2 weeks

Will wanted to have his picture taken too!

35 weeks and counting!

2012-02-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

I am 35 weeks and anxiously waiting March 8th when we are going to induce. I am so excited for JT to be here and for Will to have a little brother. I know there will be some adjustments for everyone but it will be so worth it! I'm so glad they will be so close in age! This pregnancy has definitely been much harder than when I was pregnant with Will. I'm always running with him and don't get to rest like I did when I was pregnant with Will. I try to rest a lot on the weekends when Travis is home and it gives him time to spend with Will. This time around, I am only taking 6 weeks off of work since it's towards the end of the year. When I return, we were fortunate enough to have family each take a week to watch both Will and JT and then Travis will be home for 2 weeks with them. That way we are keeping them both out of daycare! It will be nice having them both home to spend time with each of them. Please continue to pray for a healthy delivery for our new little bundle of joy!

31 weeks

Sea Life

2012-02-04T21:07:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, we took Will to Sea Life in Grapevine. It was better than what we were expecting and perfect for kids because everything is at their level. Will loved looking at all the fish.

Future Chef???

2012-02-04T21:04:00.000-08:00

Ever since Will was real young, he always took an interest in what we were doing in the kitchen. He is very observant and watches every little thing that takes place. Travis and I do a lot of cooking at home and we try our best to involve Will as much as we can because he loves it so much and it makes it easier for us to get dinner on the table! Maybe he will be cooking for us one day!

Helping cook crab balls

Visit to Finally Farm

2012-02-04T20:59:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago, we went to Crawford for the day to visit my great aunt and uncle as well as my grandpa who came up from Louisiana. We always love going to their ranch to get away from the city and it is the one place Will can run free! My grandpa came bearing treats from South Louisiana...crabs, crawfish, king cake, and strawberries! :) Luckily, we had great weather and we spent most of our day outside. We can't wait to go back for another visit soon!

Feeding the chickens

Will loves Jack

Chopping wood with daddy

Jamaica!

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

For the past two years, Travis and I along with his sister and her husband, and his brother and his wife have been trying to plan a trip together to Jamaica. Every time we seemed to find a time it wouldn't work for someone. We finally finalized our trip last night!!! Being in 3 different states and trying to book all at the same time was interesting but we managed to get it done and all get on the same flight. I'm sure that will be a fun flight with all of us on there. We are so excited to be going again where we honeymooned. Travis and I fell in love with it our first time there and couldn't wait to get back. It will be even more fun this time around traveling with his siblings and spouses. It will be hard to leave my babies but I know it's a trip that Travis and I need to take together. I know every couple needs to get away every once in a while and I know our boys will be in good hands with my parents.

http://couples.com/swept-away/

A New Year

2012-01-12T03:52:00.001-08:00

Since it's been a while since my last post I figured I would wrap up 2011 with some major points and hopefully be better about posting in 2012. As we look back on 2011, we have had heartache, surprises, and happiness. Our BIGGEST surprise of 2011 is finding out that we were pregnant with baby #2 but feel completely blessed!!!

- In October, Travis unfortunately lost his grandfather. It was rather quick and very hard on Travis. He looked up to Pappo as so much more than just a grandfather and had the utmost respect for him as did I. He had a kind heart and loved his family.

- In November, my sister, aunt, and grandpa threw a surprise 30th anniversary party for my parents. Boy, were they surprised! The looks on their faces were priceless and it made every bit of planning worth it. They were so deserving of this party.

- We traveled down to the Hill Country in November to celebrate Thanksgiving with Travis' family.

- Travis and I did "ICE" at the Gaylord with my parents and then traveled to Tampa for the weekend for his company Christmas party. It was a nice little getaway for us but we couldn't wait to see Will!

- Took Will on The Polar Express in Grapevine, Texas. Will loves trains!

- Broke the news to my principal and assistant principal that I will not be returning after this year. Such a hard thing to do because I love where I work but moving to La. is the best thing for our family and for Travis and I. We are looking forward to this new adventure!

- Traveled down to Louisiana for Christmas to be with my family.

- Drove home on New Year's Eve and waited for 2012 to come...

Baby Boy #2 has a name!!!

2011-10-19T18:04:00.001-07:00

When we found out we were having another little boy, we knew that he would take my dad's first name but weren't quite sure about what our little boy's middle name would be. After much talk, we decided that he would take my dad's whole name. So, we will call him John Thomas and J.T. for short. I couldn't have chosen a better name for this little boy. I have always looked up to my dad and I still do to this day. He is amazing person with a great amount of love for his family. 'm so excited that J.T. will carry on a name of someone that is so important to me and that will be important to him.

It's a....BOY!!!!

2011-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Today, Travis and I went to the doctor to find out what our little bundle of joy was. We were both convinced it was a little girl. On the way to the doctor something told me that it was going to be a little boy! Much to our surprise, it was a boy!! We are so excited and even more excited that Will is going to have a little brother to play with and grow up with. They will be so close and the best of friends! We can't wait to welcome our new little blessing into our family. I can't wait for the day to hold him and kiss him and tell him how much he is loved by so many people. I can't wait to watch Will with his little brother and the way they interact. It will be busy and it will be crazy but I can't imagine life without two little boys! We are so blessed and I thank God everyday for my two little blessings!

Bath Time!

2011-10-14T18:23:00.001-07:00

One of Will's favorite things to do is take a bath and play in the water! He loves being in the water and playing with all of his toys! The other night he was having so much fun I had to get my camera and snap these pictures! I was playing peek a boo behind his towel and he couldn't stop giggling. I love the pictures I captured because it truly shows his personality and how unbelievably happy he is!

Will

2011-10-02T11:39:00.001-07:00

Will's personality is really starting to come through. He is so funny and makes Travis and I laugh every single day! He has brought so much joy to our lives this past year. We can't imagine life without him and are truly blessed by this little angel! We love you buddy!

Day at the Zoo

2011-10-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took Will to the Dallas Zoo for the first time! We have quickly figured out that he is a child that loves to be surrounded by other people all the time so we are always finding things to do with him on the weekends. He loved the zoo and all the different sights. He got really excited when he saw the lions and cougars. A new part of the zoo just opened where you are able to hand feed the giraffes. It was so neat that they came right up to you! I can't imagine what was going through Will's mind!

Thank You, Mom!

2011-09-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

This past week, our house fell to the stomach bug!! When we had visitors on Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, Will threw up but went back to playing after taking a long nap so we chalked it up to something he ate. On Monday, we started packing up our house and cleaning and then I got sick that afternoon in the night. I decided that I would stay home on Tuesday to rest and bring Will to the sitter. That didn't happen...he ended up getting sick at breakfast! So, him and I hung out together and I brought him to the doctor to make sure it was just the stomach bug. Sure enough he diagnosed us both with it. Earlier on Tuesday, my mom decided to fly up to take care of us since neither of us were eating and I barely had any strength from the lack of food and Travis had just left for his work trip. I was beyond grateful for her to come back up to Texas on Tuesday after leaving on Monday. She cooked us some homemade chicken soup and helped me take care of Will since he didn't lack on the energy part! :) It was so nice having the extra help around and plus I got to spend a little extra time with my mom. I ended up going back to work on Thursday and she flew back to Louisiana that night. Travis came in SICK! We had passed on this awful bug to him!

Thank you mom for being here for us and taking such good care of us! We loved having you here and spending extra time with you! I appreciate everything you and dad do to help us out even when we are 8 LONG hours away!!

Family Visit

2011-09-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend, my family came up to visit Travis, Will and I. We always love having family here. I love when I get to spend some time with just my mom and I too. We spent Saturday shopping and then Saturday night, my mom, dad, and grandpa watched Will so Travis and I could have a date night. We were so excited to be able to have some time to ourselves but we couldn't wait to see our little boy when we got back before he went to bed. On Sunday, our friends Brittany and Derrick came to visit after they spent the weekend in Dallas for the LSU/Oregon game and more family came up from Waco/Keller area. It was so great seeing everyone and spending time with them. My parents and grandpa left this morning and I hate it when they leave. We just keep telling ourselves that we only have a few more months and then we'll be home.

Will enjoying some coffee and breakfast with his great-grandpa

It's Official...Our house is for sale!!

2011-09-05T16:12:00.001-07:00

For the last few months Travis and I have talked about moving back to Louisiana so we could be closer to family. After talking with a couple of realtors to get several opinions and finding out we are pregnant again, we figured it was a good time to move! So, our plan is to move after this school year so I can finish out my year here in Texas. Even though we are excited about moving and being close to family and having the extra help, it was still very hard for me to see the sign in our yard and to sign the papers! This is our first home where we have made so many memories as a family. It is the best decision for our family and we are very excited to get back "home!" Luckily for us, we still have family in Texas so we won't be gone completely! :)

My aunt Lene gave us a St. Joseph statue that you are supposed to bury in your yard to help your house sell along with a prayer. We just hope and pray that everything works out for the best and we know at this point it is in God's hands.

Travis burying St. Joseph

Precious Moment

2011-08-24T19:04:00.001-07:00

When Travis and I lost our first baby we were devastated and never thought at that moment that we would be blessed with our son Will and another one on the way. When I spoke with my cousin shortly after our loss she gave me the idea of getting something that we would always have as a reminder of our baby. I came across a garden stone with a quote on it that I thought was perfect. We keep it in our back yard and every time I see it, I think of our little girl.

Tonight, as Will was playing outside in the back I saw him touching the plaque as if he knew what it resembled. My heart completely melted when I saw him do that. He is going to make a great big brother for our new little bundle of joy!

Fingerpaint, Play-Doh and Jello Jigglers=MESS!!!

2011-08-21T10:06:00.001-07:00

During my last week of summer with Will, I tried coming up of something fun for him to do that would keep him involved. We are finding more and more that all of these toys that he has doesn't keep his interest very long. So, I decided that we would make edible finger paint, play-doh, and jello jigglers!! Little did I know how much of a mess it would be but it didn't matter because he was having fun diving into it all. You will notice with the play-doh he is "cooking" it. He is definitely into cooking and how everything works in the kitchen. Here are a few pictures of him playing in it all!

Splash Park

2011-08-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

Last week, Will had a playdate with one of his friends, Kyler at the Splash Park near our house. It's great for kids his age because they are able to walk around the sprinklers that pop up from the ground. He's more free than being in a pool. It felt so good to be in the water trying to beat the 100+ temperatures that Texas has been having. It was a great time all around and we're looking forward to our next playdate!

Will and his friend Kyler

Future Chef???

2011-08-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks, Will has become quite interested in what takes place in the kitchen. Whenever Travis and I are cooking he likes to "help" us and be a part of whatever we are doing. We decided to give him his own little pot and spoon so he could "help" us cook. Needless, to say he carries the pot and spoon everywhere! He will put cheerios in it and stir them around then eat them. It's very neat to watch him figure out how things all work. So, yesterday I picked up a box of brownies so he could help me make them. We got out all the ingredients and put them in the bowl. I handed him the spoon so he could mix and he was so excited! He was perfectly content to mix the ingredients together and taste a little off the spoon every now and then. We just may have a little chef on our hands! :)

Love,

Mary

Will 1 year bd book

2011-08-03T18:12:00.001-07:00

I forgot to post Will's book that I made for him for his birthday on the blog. When Will was born I made a promise to myself that I would document everything that I could about his first year. So, for each month I listed what new things he discovered or what milestones were reached and then there were pictures to follow for that month. It has been so fun to go back and look at where we started from day 1. The book took a lot of time to complete but it was well worth every minute. I've already started working on his 2nd year book and will be ready to start the new baby's book when he/she arrives! Hope you enjoy!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Happy Birthday Pappo!!!

2011-08-01T10:40:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we traveled to Comfort, Tx. to celebrate Travis' grandpa's 80th birthday. We had a lot of fun this weekend. We stayed with Travis' sister which gave Will some time to play with his cousin Reigha. He definitely loves having other children to play with. On Saturday, we celebrated Pappo's birthday. It was a great time having the family together.

Will and Pappo

Will playing with his cousin Reigha

We took this video of Will dancing at Pappo's birthday. He LOVES music but got a little shy when he saw that I had the camera out!

Love,

Mary

Story Time

2011-07-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Will and I went to "Babies and Books" Story time at the Frisco Library. We had a lot of fun and Will loved being around all of the other babies. We first sang a few songs and went around the room introducing our baby through a song and then we read book and flipped through pictures. Next, they brought out a puppet and Will loved it. A huge grin came over his face when the puppet came out. We learned the signs for 'bib,' 'milk,' and 'cereal.' We incorporated the signs into a song which was one of Will's favorites. At the end, they brought out a basket of musical instruments and this was where the babies/toddlers were able to run/walk around and play with the instruments. We had a great time and would love to do it again soon! Unfortunately, they are done for the summer. Hopefully, we will catch them again. This was the only picture I was able to get of him at story time. Needless to say, the camera wasn't too interesting to smile for when there were toys that made lots of noise.

Weekend with Nannie J

2011-07-23T20:30:00.001-07:00

Last week, my sister Jeanne came to spend a week with us here in Texas! I was so excited to have her here for a whole week. It was so fun to spend time with her and she was able to spend some quality time with Will. They really bonded over the week and she is so good with him. She even let me rest at night and got up with him if he woke up. Thank you Jeanne for spending a week with us and we hope you come back soon!! We miss you!

He loves his Nannie J

Baby Terrell #2!!

2011-07-23T20:17:00.001-07:00

Travis and I receive the surprise of our life on July 9th...we are pregnant!!! It was the morning of Will's birthday party at my parents, and I was already late but I chalked it up to stress because of getting last minute things ready for his birthday and decisions that we were trying to make for this upcoming year. Travis convinced me to just take a test so we can make sure that it was just stress. Well, I was WRONG! When the two lines popped up, we just looked at each other completely stunned. We ran downstairs to tell my parents and they were ecstatic!!! We couldn't believe it! Once the shock settled in, I was so excited that we were going to welcome another baby into this world. We want a big family, I just never knew it would be this soon. I know it was God's plan for us to be pregnant right now and we couldn't be more thankful. I had to get re-focused for his birthday, but anytime I would think about our news or look at Travis how excited he was, I couldn't help but smile. Will was going to have a new baby brother or sister to play with! I called the doctor as soon as we got back to Texas and went in for blood work to make sure my hormone levels were where they needed to be. I did this with Will as well. The nurse called back with my results and told me I either have really good hormone levels or there could be a possibility of multiples. WHAT?!?!! My hormone levels were extremely high for me being only 6 weeks along at the time the blood work was taken. We will find out for sure on August 15th when we go in for our first look at our new little peanut!! We are beyond excited and I can't wait to welcome him or her into our family. My due date is around March 9th which is perfect timing! Please pray for a safe and healthy pregnancy as well as a healthy little baby.

PREGNANT!

So excited to be a BIG BROTHER!

The sign my aunt and uncle made when we went to their ranch for Will's bd party

Birthday Boy

2011-07-23T20:01:00.001-07:00

On July 13, our little boy turned 1!! I can't believe it! I don't even know where the time went. He has grown into this amazing and happy little boy. He is truly a joy to be around and always keeps us laughing. He is VERY busy but so much fun! We love watching him explore new things and use objects in his own way. He is so special to Travis and I and we are cherishing every moment we have with him. I just wish time would slow down. This year for his birthday, we decided to have two parties, 1 in Louisiana and 1 in Texas so both sides of the family would be able to celebrate his big day! The one in Louisiana was held at my parents and it was a Mickey Mouse theme. The one in Texas was held at my aunt and uncle's ranch in Crawford, Texas and it was a John Deere party. Both of them were amazing parties and we can't thank my parents and my aunt and uncle for all the work that they did to help me make his parties successful. We are truly blessed and so very thankful.

Will,

1 year ago you came in our lives and and completely changed them forever. I will never forget the moment that the doctor placed you in my arms for the very first time. It was love at first sight. You have taught us so much about love and how strong a bond is between a parent and child. We look at you and can't believe you are ours. We are so glad that God chose us to be your parents. We love to hear your voice when we are having our own little conversation, we love the sound of your laugh, or the smile on your face. You truly light up a room. We love your silly expressions that you make to make us laugh. We love absolutely everything there is about you. You are so special to us and you will do wonderful things with your life. You have a great spirit and make everyone around you smile. We love you so much and are so thankful for everything that you have given us this past year. We love you buddy!

Ft. Walton 2011

2011-07-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

This June, our family took our annual beach trip to Ft. Walton, Florida. It was a week filled of fun in the sun and quality time together. Travis and I didn't know how Will was going to react to the sand much less the ocean. He surprised the both of us by loving both the sand and the water. He wanted to be on his own in the water which was very hard to make him understand that we couldn't let go. Although, he did go under a few times on his own of his own doing and came up smiling. I may have a future swimmer on my hands! :) He loved to play and lay in the sand and put his face in it, which is much different than the way I used to be when I was his age. He was a trooper the whole week and just went with the flow. We all had a great time and we made a ton of memories. We are looking forward to going back again next year. Thank you mom and dad for a wonderful family trip!

Love,

Mary

The Final Hours

2010-07-11T21:32:00.001-07:00

The time has come for Travis and I to meet our sweet baby boy that we have so anxiously waited and prepared for. I am headed to the hospital tomorrow night (Monday) and they will induce first thing Tuesday morning. As I sit here and type, I know I should be getting as much rest as possible but I can't get myself to go to sleep. I have so many emotions going through me right now...anxious, excited, nervous, scared, etc. As I laid in bed tonight, I couldn't help but think this is Travis and I's last night in our house where it will be just the two of us. I think of how in just a couple of days when we bring Will home, our house will be full of the wonderful sounds from our baby and the memories we are going to add to our lives.

As I have gotten closer to my due date, I often find myself wondering who is he going to look like, what color hair and eyes will he have, etc. It is such a miracle of life. I have enjoyed my pregnancy and feel really blessed to have had such a healthy one. I can honestly say, the one thing that I will miss most about being pregnant is feeling him move in my belly and watching Travis' expression on his face when he would feel Will and then talk to Will and tell him that he loved him. It melted my heart every time. He is going to be an amazing dad and Will is so fortunate to have him to look up to.

At the same time that we are enjoying this exciting time in our lives, there isn't a day that goes by that I haven't thought about my grandma. She would have given anything to be here to see her newest great-grandson. She wanted nothing more than for Travis and I to have a baby that she could watch grow up. I know she is looking down on us and will be there in spirit as we welcome Will into this world.

So as we celebrate two wonderful years of marriage tomorrow, please say a prayer for us as we head to the hospital tomorrow night to prepare for the arrival of our son. We can't wait to introduce him to our family and friends.

Here is one of my most recent pictures at 38 weeks going to water aerobics!

Updates

2010-05-18T18:55:00.001-07:00

So much has taken place since I last posted a blog. Travis and I have been super busy and always on the go. In April, my sister-in-law hosted my first baby shower for Will in Kerrville. Everything was amazing and she did such a wonderful job. I was fortunate to have my parents drive up for the weekend and for my mom to come to the shower! Will received a lot of wonderful gifts! I came home that Sunday and started organizing.

2 weeks later, we headed down to Louisiana for Mother's Day weekend where we had another shower and our family's annual crawfish boil. It was a jam packed weekend. I ate so much crawfish but it was so good. My baby shower was amazing. We had so many people come to the shower and it was so good to see everyone and visit with them. Will received even more wonderful gifts! One special gift that I did receive was from my gram and paw. It was Will's bassinet. It was so hard to hold back the tears when I opened the gift. I know that if my gram were here she would have been front and center as I opened gifts and anxiously awaiting the arrival of Will. It was so hard not to have her there. I know she was with me in my heart but I missed her so much that day. As each day gets closer to Will's arrival, I'm constantly reminded that my gram won't be here to meet him and that is a hard concept for me to swallow.

Here are some pictures of our Mother's Day Weekend in Louisiana...

Can you tell my grandpa is proud?!?!!?

The weekend after Mother's Day, my parents drove up here to deliver the gifts since we were unable to bring them on the plane. My mom and I spent Friday afternoon, unpacking all of his gifts and organizing them in his room. It was so nice to have her here to help me get everything in place. On Saturday, her and I went shopping for some things to finish up his room. We had so much fun spending time together. It was good to have some mother/daughter time. While we were out spending money, Travis and my dad put together Will's bassinet and swing and then found some other projects to do around the house! Here are some pictures of Will's room. We still are missing a few minor things but for the most part it is complete. Thanks mom and dad for all of your help!

On Sunday, my friends Meagan, Tracy, and Natalie hosted another shower for me. They did such a wonderful job and I had a great time. Everything was perfect! It was great seeing my friends since I haven't seen them in a while and catching up with them. It made me realize how lucky Travis and I are to have such a great group of friends around us since we don't have our family near us. I appreciate each and every one of them and cherish our friendships!

32 weeks and counting...

Pictures of Will

2010-03-09T12:29:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures of our sweet baby boy Will after our 21 week checkup last week. He is doing great and growing fast! Travis and I are amazed every time we have a sonogram at how big he has gotten and all the new things that you can see. I'm feeling him more and more each day and absolutely love it. Travis has felt him a few times and is anxious for the day when he can feel all of his kicks like I can. He talks to Will every day and it is the cutest thing. He's so proud of his little boy and we are both anxious to meet him. We love him so much!

21 weeks after a nice walk

Definitely a boy!

Sweet baby Will

It's a.....BOY!!!!

2010-02-16T12:25:00.000-08:00

Travis and I are going to have a baby boy!!!! We are so excited!!!!

After finally getting on our flight Saturday morning, we made it to Louisiana for our sonogram appointment that we had at Sound Diagnostics. It was a chance for my mom and dad as well as my grandpa to get a sneak peak of our little miracle. I enjoyed watching how excited they were when our baby popped up on the screen. It was all so new to them. The doctor pointed out its little fingers and toes as well as different parts of his body. When our baby first came on the screen, he had his two hands on his head and then threw his legs up to touch his head. He's quite acrobatic! The sex of the baby was the last thing that was shown to us. I was so anxious to hear what we were having even though deep down I knew it was a boy and Travis was still convinced it was a girl. When it was time, the doctor showed us where I needed to be looking and at that point, he didn't even have to tell me it was a boy! I was able to tell VERY clearly! We were so excited especially Travis! (He still hasn't wiped the grin off of his face :) ) We were able to watch our baby for a little longer hoping to get a good profile picture of him but he was too busy moving all around but towards the end of the sonogram, he waved his tiny little hand and then closed it and gave a thumbs up! It was so cute! Everything became so much more real.

After the sonogram, they captured a few pictures of our special day and the family we shared it with. It will be something Travis and I will always remember.

I will post pictures soon of our little guy!

Love,
Mary

SNOW!

2010-02-12T06:09:00.001-08:00

Who would have thought that living in Texas we would have gotten this much snow?!?!!? I enjoyed it yesterday but then when it started tinkering with our travel plans for today (Friday), I was bummed. We were supposed to leave for New Orleans this morning for Mardi Gras and to find out the sex of our baby. Unfortunately, our flight was canceled. We did get on another flight tomorrow morning. I called the imaging office where the sonogram is being done and they fit me in tomorrow for an appointment. We are very fortunate and are anxious to find out what we're having. So, it looks like I have to patiently wait one more day. Let's keep fingers crossed that everything is back on track for tomorrow.

Cooper loves the snow!

The front of our house

Remembering Gram

2010-01-31T08:18:00.000-08:00

On January 22, 2010 at 5:40pm my grandma was taken from us. The week before her death, my grandma suffered a massive heart attack and then a stroke a few days later. Travis and I drove in after the stroke so we could say our good-byes because the doctors didn't expect her to make it through the weekend. I stayed with my mom, grandpa, and aunt Lene for a few days while Travis went back to work. Hospice took over and brought my grandma back home where we knew she would want to be. My grandpa was so devoted to her and stayed by her side every minute of every day. They demonstrated the true meaning of love and marriage to each other.

I had to head back to Texas to go to work and it was the hardest thing to say good bye to my grandma. I didn't want to leave her. She has been such a huge part of my life since I was a little girl and now I had to tell her good-bye. I cried for the fact that I would never share any more memories with her, I cried for my grandpa who was losing his spouse of 56 years, I cried for my mom and aunt Lene who was losing their mother, and I cried for Travis and I's child that she will never get to meet. Before I left, I kissed her and told her that I loved her and to take care of our little girl in heaven.

2 days later after coming back to Texas, we got the dreaded phone call. My grandma was called to be another one of God's special angels. She was surrounded by loved ones as she took her final breath. All I wanted to do was be at home with my family during this difficult time.

My grandma will always be remembered for her love of life, her love for her family, her love and devotion to my grandpa, her love for Mardi Gras, and her love for cooking. She was one of kind and will truly be missed by so many people that knew her.

I love and miss you Gram!

Down on the Farm

2009-11-18T16:08:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, Travis and I went visit my aunt and uncle in Crawford, Texas. They have a beautiful place there with lots of cattle and donkeys. Travis and I love it there. It is so peaceful and a great place to just get away. We had a blast during our visit and quite the adventure. When we pulled up we were greeted with the "Welcome Peanut" sign! What a surprise! I sent them an email the day before announcing our pregnancy and referred to the baby as our little peanut.

After arriving, we visited for a bit before heading out to On the Border. My cousin Jess was also visiting so it was good for all of us to be together and catch up on everything! After dinner, we came home and watched the UFC fights. Now I must say, I'm not a fan of the fights but I did get into it while it was on tv. The next morning, we went eat at this little Mexican restaurant called Lolita's! So yummy! After returning from some errands, we arrive back at the ranch and low and behold, one of there cows is in labor!!! Not something I was expecting to watch! The cow was in such distress due to being in labor for so long, that we did not think the calf would make it out alive. My uncle had to walk the cow up the ranch into this squeeze machine because they were going to have to pull out the calf themselves! I knew this was something I couldn't miss seeing even if it was going to gross me out! So, there I was sitting back anxiously awaiting the birth of this calf while my uncle, his neighbor, and Travis (yep, he was involved!) pulled this calf with these tools out of the cow! After several minutes of trying to get the cow to cooperate, they were able to pull out the calf. I will admit, this was nothing pretty to see and I'm not sure how my weak stomach pulled it off but I was in complete awe of the whole situation! (After hearing that cow in so much pain, I looked at Travis and said I'm getting the drug when it's time for me to go in labor!) It's not everyday you see a calf being born! After some time passed and the momma cow had time to attempt to bond with her calf we went back down to the barn to check on them. The momma cow still wasn't going near her calf to clean him off and feed it. She was in such distress from the whole situation but who wouldn't be after going through all of that. Hopefully, she will come around soon and nurture her calf.

Here is a picture of our dog Cooper and my aunt and uncle's dog Pearlie. They finally passed out on Sunday afternoon after playing non-stop for two days! I think they met each other's match! Cooper is still recuperating from his playtime with Pearlie!

All in all, it was a great visit and we can't wait to go up there again! Who knows, we may see another calf being born!

Love,

Mary

We're PREGNANT!

2009-11-14T05:51:00.000-08:00

It's true! Travis and I are pregnant! We were going to try and wait and tell everyone at Christmas when I would be 12 weeks but we were just too excited not too! We found out last week and had trouble keeping it a secret for that long! I am about 6 weeks along and feel great! The day I found out, I was in the doctor's office doing blood work so they could check my HCG level and my progesterone level. The results showed that my levels were high which is what we wanted to see. I went back for a second round of blood work so they could make sure my levels tripled from the previous results. Sure enough they multiplied by 5!!! We were so excited that the results came back positive! I go in for my first ultrasound on the 30th and from that point will go in every two weeks so the doctor can keep a close eye on me and the baby. We're so very thankful for that! Travis and I feel so good about this baby and the way I feel compared to the first one is so much better! The only thing I can complain about is that I'm tired which is normal.

I can only hope and pray that this baby, "our peanut," continues to grow and stay healthy so the day will come where Travis and I can hold it in our arms and tell it how much we love it.

Please continue to pray for me, Travis, and our peanut as we continue this exciting journey!

Love,

Mary

A Walk to Remember

2009-10-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Travis and I participated in the 'Walk to Remember' in honor of our little girl and all other unborn children. Neither one of us knew what to expect from the memorial or how we would feel. When it started, we each had to stand up and say why we were there. It was good to hear everyone else's stories and struggles and see that they too still struggle no matter how long ago it happened. After everyone told their story, we had a poem read to us and then it was time to take our walk around the lake. When we finished our walk, we were given a pink balloon to represent our little girl and were told to write a little message to our baby. We wrote our message and when everyone was ready we released them into the air. Travis and I sat there, for which felt like an eternity, watching our little pink balloon float high up into the sky until we could no longer see it. I started to cry watching it get higher and higher into the sky and I think at that moment it both hit us the symbolism of why we were sending that pink balloon up.

After we could no longer see the balloon, we headed back to truck, hand in hand, and more at peace than we have ever been since we started this journey. We both agreed that this was something that we needed to do to not only remember our little girl that we only had for a few short weeks but to give us the peace and closure to continue to move on and try again.

I'm going to leave you with a poem that was shared with us at the memorial...

Little Footprints

How very softly you tiptoed into my world.

Almost silently, only a moment you stayed.

But what an imprint your footsteps

have left upon my heart.

We love you Peanut and you will always be in our hearts!

Love Y'all!

Mary

This and That

2009-10-07T16:29:00.001-07:00

I haven't written in a while and figured I would give a quick update of things that are going on. I am still loving my new job in Frisco. The staff is amazing and have made me feel so welcomed from day one. My kids are great! They are so funny at times. I have double the caseload from last year but it seems easier at the same time. I have to share a conversation that I had with one of my third graders last week. We were sitting at the table playing UNO and he says to me "Who do you think invented UNO?" I responded with "I'm not sure." After much thinking he says, "I bet it was a bunch of Mexicans!" After gaining my composure, I asked him "Why do you think that?" He says "Well, UNO means 1 in Spanish!" I think he expected me to know his logic behind that answer since I was the teacher. :) It was the cutest thing!

Travis is still working hard at his job. He is working for a company called Cyprexx that is based out of Tampa. He is an inspector for foreclosed homes. He loves it and loves the fact that it's always new and not a repetitive job. He does travel one or two days during the week but it beats the night shift everyday that he was working at his old job. He is so happy and doing an amazing job! I'm so proud of him!

This weekend, we are participating in the "Walk to Remember." It's a walk for parents of unborn children. It gives us a chance to remember them. It's one of the many memorials that are held throughout the year. I have lots of emotions going through of how this day will be and what Travis and I will be feeling. We are both so fortunate that the Medical Center of Plano takes time to honor these 'angels.' We think of our little girl often and I still have my moments of a complete breakdown but have relied on my faith to get me through those hard days. Please continue to pray for strength and that we may be able to have a little miracle of our own very soon.

Love to all!

Mary

Update

2009-09-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to send a quick update on lab results from our baby. The doctor called us last week to let us know that there were no chromosome abnormalities with the baby. It was just a common miscarriage. We were so relieved to hear that everything was fine but just sad that it wouldn't take. Since they did a chromosome test, they were able to tell us the sex of the baby. We didn't think it would be possible to tell, but they told us it was a little girl. It became so much more real for Travis and I knowing that it was a girl but it gave us closure. Since the call, it has made moving on a little bit easier. Everyday is a better day for us!

On another note, I was watching the TODAY show yesterday, and one of their stories was the common cause of miscarriage. It was amazing to hear of other women's stories and how they overcame their miscarriage. You don't realize how common miscarriages are and how often they occur until you talk to someone about your own. There is a group of women that are opening their voices about miscarriages and how all women that experience the pain of losing a child still need their time to grieve. From a personal standpoint, I think it's even harder when you have seen the baby and the heartbeat and then lose your baby. You start developing a bond so early on and it's such a part of you.

We have started looking at the positives that this miscarriage brought to Travis and I and that's what makes us stronger. We know God has a better plan for us and that's who we have to put our faith in.

Thanks for all of you who pray for us. We love you!

Mary

Keeping the Faith

2009-08-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

Where do I begin....As most of you know, Travis and I have gone through a rough couple of weeks. On Friday, August 7th, we were headed for our second check-up on our baby. It was the day we were waiting for...we were finally going to hear the heartbeat. We were so excited! A few days prior to the appointment, I told Travis that something didn't feel right with my body. I felt like I had lost our baby. He kept reassuring me I was just scared and everything was fine since I was still getting sick during the day. So, we get to the doctor's office and wait patiently for her to come in the room. It felt like a lifetime but was only 30 minutes. She pulls out the doppler so we can hear the heartbeat. She couldn't get anything which was common she said especially since my heart rate was beating so fast. We move into the ultrasound room. I was excited because we were going to see how big our little peanut grew. She puts the gel on my stomach and tries to get a reading...nothing! At that point, I turned to Travis and told him something was wrong. For some reason, I never looked at the screen. Finally, we try an internal ultrasound. I glanced quickly at the screen and our baby had grown so much since we first saw it. My doctor tries to get a heartbeat and again nothing! The heartbeat flatlined and our baby wasn't moving. It was measuring at 10 weeks. I broke down into tears and cried in Travis' arms. I felt so helpless and blamed myself. My doctor gave us some time and then came in and talked with us about what the next steps would be and reassured me that I did nothing wrong and that miscarriages were very common in first time pregnancies. I didn't care. All I knew was that we lost our baby that we already loved so much. Since I didn't pass it, we scheduled a D and C to remove the baby so that they could run tests to make sure there were no chromosomal abnormalities.

That Sunday, my parents came up to be with Travis and I during this time and try to help us keep our minds busy. We were struggling with this so much. After receiving the news, I just cried for the next two days. There are no words to explain what it's like to lose your baby. On Tuesday morning, I go in for my surgery. Of course, I'm scared because this is my first surgery ever and they have to put me completely under and I hated the reason of why I was there. Travis and my parents were by my side until they rolled me away into the operating room. Fortunately, everything went really well and recovery wasn't too bad. My parents stayed with me until Wed. because Travis had to leave for Houston after they released me from the hospital. I was so glad that he was able to stay with me the entire time. I returned to work on Wednesday which I was glad about to keep my mind off of everything but I had the hardest time and broke down several times throughout the day.

On Thursday night, things took a turn for the worse. I started having severe pains in my stomach and was passing blood clots for 2 hours. The pain kept getting worse so I eventually ended up in the emergency room. Our friends Meagan and Matt brought me and Travis met us there once his plane landed. We were in the hospital until 2am! I ended up having mild anemia due to the amount of blood loss and my blood count was low. They considered admitting me in the hospital to do a blood tranfusion due to the amount of blood loss but because it was a result of the surgery they decided to let me go (thank goodness!). They put me on cytotec (?) to help reduce the bleeding but told me that it would cause severe cramping...great! So of course, at 5am I started screaming in pain. The pain finally went away after about 2 long hours. I made an appointment to meet with my OBGYN that afternoon to follow up with the results from the emergency room. She explained to Travis and I that the pain that I was experiencing was contractions. She took me off the cytotec and put me on an iron supplement to boost my blood count. After a quick exam, she said everything is healing as it should be which was a relief to Travis and I especially after what we had experienced less than 24 hours before. She is very confident that we will be able to get pregnant really soon and that this will be a healthy pregnancy. Of course, it's never a guarantee but that's what she feels based on what she has seen. It was such good news for Travis and I to hear this. We both know that we have to stay positive and know that God has a plan for us that's far better than what we think. It's just hard to see the big picture of that plan right now.

There are no words to explain what we are going through and how you feel when you lose your baby. We were both attached to the baby and loved it so much. It will always be our first baby. For me, it's much harder because it was my body that was going through the changes. I felt such an empty feeling on Tuesday when I knew that our baby was no longer with me. Through the hospital, there is a program called Healing Matters that we are going to join. They have meetings each month for parents of unborn children and they do have a place of rest for our baby at the Plano Municipal Cemetary which is some closure for Travis and I. We know that there's a place that we can visit our little angel. Each May, they do a memorial for all of the unborn children that we will also participate in. We think it's a great way of remembering these babies that never had the chance to be welcomed into this world.

Each day gets better and we know that we will get through this. I do have my moments where I will just break down into tears. We are staying positive and strong and putting our faith in God to get us through this. We know that we have an angel above that is looking down on us.

To our family and friends... you are all amazing and Travis and I are so blessed to have each and every one of you in our lives. We couldn't have done this without you. Thank you for the cards, emails, phone calls, and most of all, your prayers. We know that with time, this pain that we feel will heal and that one day, we will welcome a wonderful and healthy baby into this world that we will love with all of heart. Thank you for all of your support.

We love you!

Mary and Travis

Our 1 Year Anniversary

2009-07-14T20:15:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday, Travis and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary at a bed and breakfast! I can't believe a year has gone by from when we said "I Do." I remember the day we got engaged and all of the planning began for a wedding in 6 months in Louisiana! We had so much fun putting all of the details together for the big day. My parents had to do most of the planning and details since we were away. They did an amazing job and it was a special time for my mom and I. Our wedding day finally came, and everything went better than we could have ever expected. When my dad walked me down the aisle, it was such an emotional moment for the both of us. I was so excited to see Travis standing at the alter so we can start our new life together as husband and wife. It was a day that I will always remember and will forever cherish.

Thank you mom and dad for making this one of the most special days of our lives.

Travis, thank you for always loving me and being here for me. We have had some wonderful memories in our first year of marriage and I can't wait to continue our life with our new family and our new memories that we will make together. I love you with all of my heart!

At the Bed and Breakfast for our Anniversary

Our First Ultrasound

2009-07-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

Today Travis and I went in for our first ultrasound of our little peanut. When we saw it appear on the screen, I was in such awe of our little miracle. The doctor went through routine photographs and then showed us it's heartbeat. I teared up watching it flicker on the screen and then to hear from the doctor that it was a healthy and strong heartbeat made it even better. It's heartbeat was beating at 136 beats per minute. I am currently 7 weeks and 2 days with my due date set for February 24th. We go again in 4 weeks and I can't wait to see how much it has grown since this first visit. It's so amazing to see this little tiny thing inside you be life that you created and are going to bring into this world. Travis and I have been waiting for this day to come.

As far as being sick, I have been pretty lucky for the most part, so far! I have been very fatigued and queasy with a very little appetite. I even lost 7 pounds when I weighed in today! Nothing really sounds good to eat but I know I have to feed the baby so I try to put something in my stomach. I'll be glad when this passes! It's been nice to have the summer off to go through my first trimester. We are anxious for the next several months and to watch our little peanut grow. Here are a few pictures from our sonogram today! Enjoy!

Love Y'all,

Mary

I'm Pregnant!

2009-06-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

It's true....Travis and I are expecting a new little bundle of joy in February and we couldn't be more excited. We returned to Dallas on Father's Day from a very relaxed, week long vacation in Florida with my parents. I knew I was a day late but was so scared to take a test because I didn't want to see "not pregnant" on there again. Travis convinced me to take one any way. So, he went to our neighbors house to get the mail and I ran to take one so I could be myself in case the results were not what we were hoping. When I saw "Pregnant" I started crying because I was thrilled beyond belief. I hurried up and called Travis to tell him to come home. He kept asking me if everything was ok. I simply said "Happy Father's Day!" Travis came running through the door with tears in his eyes. We just hugged and cried together because we couldn't wait for this day to come and then to happen on Father's Day made it more perfect for Travis. I think for the next hour or so while I called family, I carried the test around and kept looking at it because I couldn't believe we were going to have a baby. The first person I called was my dad. It was the best moment for me to tell him he was going to be a grandpa. I'm not sure who is more excited him or my mom. They are going to be amazing grandparents!

Travis is going to be such an amazing dad. I can't wait to see our little bundle arrive and how he interacts with our baby. We call it our little peanut and every day when he leaves for work and every morning when he comes home from work, he rubs my belly and says "I love you peanut." It's the sweetest thing! Of course, he's rooting for a boy and I would love to have a little girl but as long as it is a healthy baby then we will be happy with whatever God blesses us with. We are so excited about the next several months and are anxious to watch my belly grow. We go in for our first sonogram on July 10th and can't wait to see our peanut. Please pray for us as we go through this journey. Thank you for letting us share our wonderful news with you! We can't wait for everyone to meet Baby Terrell!

Love,
Mary

Good-Bye Brinker

2009-06-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my last day at Brinker Elementary. It was a day full of emotions. I was excited about my new career in Frisco but sad to leave my "family" of three years at Brinker. I came to Brinker in December of 2005 and was offered a job after I graduated in August. Saying good-bye to the kids was the hardest part. I have established special bonds with each of them and they have touched my heart in all different, but special ways. To my friends at Brinker....thank you for all of your support during this time. I cherish your friendship everyday and am so grateful that you are all a part of my life. I love you guys!

After the kids left yesterday, we had our staff party that afternoon. Barbara (our principal) got up and spoke about each teacher that was leaving Brinker. A book is dedicated in our name that goes into the Brinker library. Since I'm from Louisiana, it was only fitting that my book be "Zach's Alligator." The support and compliments that I received from the staff was amazing and it truly touched my heart.

I took some pictures with my kids when I said good-bye. This was one of the hardest things I had to do. I have written little blurbs about them and how I will always remember them. It's amazing how children can touch your heart forever. I will never forget them and the joy they have brought to me.

Gavin (2nd grade): You are the apple of my eyes. You amaze me everyday with what your knowledge. You have come such a long way since that very first day of kindergarten. I will miss seeing you in the hallways and you saying "Mterrel." It's amazing how you learned everyone's username in the school to their computer. I loved the fact that everytime you came into my room you went straight for the fireman that was on my shelf. You loved to play with him. I loved your hugs and your smile the most. You melted my heart. I will miss you so much and I am so proud of everything that you have accomplished!

Ana (kindergarten): Where do I begin? You have made such huge strides since your first day of kindergarten. I love that you are such a girly girl. I loved waiting to see you walk into the front doors every morning and you saying to me "Hey Terrell!" You brightened my day everyday. I never knew what you were going to say next which always kept me wondering. You could always bring a smile to my face even when I was having a not so good day. You loved asking Mrs. Brownlee everyday "Do I have speech today?" I will never forget the first time you came up to me and gave me a hug and said "I love you." That meant the world to me and I will never forget you and I will miss working with you next year.

Mikal (1st grade): You give the best hugs every morning. I love your smile and your willingness to never give up. I have loved watching you grow into an amazing student. You have so much to give and I know only the best is yet to come.

Matt (1st grade): You have made such huge progress this year. I remember how proud I was the first time you came in from carpool and stopped by room and told me Good morning and asked how I was doing. I was jumping for joy inside because you were generalizing your skills outside of speech. You amazed me everyday. I'll never forget the last day of school when you gave me my gift and said to me "I couldn't have done it without you. We are a team." I cried as you walked away because it was huge that you were able to express your feelings to me.

Annie (1st grade): You are so adorable and soft spoken. I remember when you came to Brinker you barely spoke a sentence and now you are talking up a storm. I am so proud of you. You are such a smart girl and you continue to strive everyday.

Penn (1st grade): You make me smile! I love your love for airplanes. You know everything there is to know about them. I love that you would come into speech and play air guitar and sing a song to me. It was always something different. The one that touched my heart the most was when you sang to me "I'm Yours." You are amazing and I will miss you so much!

Ian(5th grade-at the top): You are one of my favorites and I am so proud I was able to see you walk across the stage at our assembly as a graduate of 5th grade. You have made huge gains through the years. I love how you would get so excited to talk about dinosaurs and how you could name the different dinosaurs and tell me about them. Good luck at Renner next year! Your teachers will love you and you will do an amazing job! I will miss you!

Daniel (5th grade-at the top): WOW!!! I don't know where to begin! I remember the first day you walked in as a third grader and you weren't able to say anything but "Mama." In 3 years, you are now able to put complete sentences together. I am so proud of you! You never gave up and you always just pushed on so you would have a voice to be heard. I remember us sitting down together one day and you put your arm around my shoulders and said to me "You are my pumpkin." My heart completed melted. I told you that my dad called me his pumpkin and you giggled. You thought it was the neatest thing. In 4th grade, we started you on a communication device to help you form more clearer speech. The very first time you made a sentence and heard it said out loud back to you, you grinned from ear to ear. You knew that you would be able to communicate more with your peers. Mrs. Hughes and I started to cry because of how happy you were. You have come such a long way in these few short years and I am so proud that I have had the chance to know you and work with you! I will miss you next year! Good Luck at Renner! I know the teachers will love you as much as we love you at Brinker!

Now I begin my new journey in this path we call life...

Love to you all!
Mary

Staying Strong

2009-05-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

This past week has been such a whirlwind for Travis and I. We went home for Mother's Day weekend to surprise my grandparents. It was so nice to be around our family. My Granddaddy and Mimi had their annual Mother's Day crawfish boil. They were so good. My Uncle Kenny cooked three sacks and I definitely had my share. Of course, the weekend came and went so fast and before we knew it we were back on the plane headed to Dallas.

Monday is when our life took an unexpected turn. I remember Travis calling me from work and asked if I was by myself in my office. My heart sunk because I didn't know what he was about to tell me. He told me that his company decided to have another layoff and they were just handing out letters to employers. I had faith that he wouldn't get a letter. He has worked so hard for the company. An hour later when I got home, he called me and told me he got a letter. I just broke down and kept repeating "What are we going to do?" You never think he could happen to you. He said he had until July to find something. I felt like everything at crumbled at that moment. He told me he would come home so we could just be together and figure out our next steps. When I got off the phone with him, I called the two most important people in my life....my mom and dad. I just cried to them and told them I was scared. I knew they would have the right words to say to me. I remember my dad telling me to just take a deep breath because I needed to stay strong for Travis. After talking with them, I finally calmed down and waited for Travis to get home. When Travis got home, we just stood there in each other's arms and said we would get through this together. It has been a tough week for the both of us. The thought of moving became an option but we didn't want to leave our house and our lives that we have made here. When you're going through this, you are filled with so many emotions and you're confused on what the best choice would be for the both us. Iam so proud of Travis for taking the initiative this past week and applying for jobs in Dallas area. We are just hoping for a call back soon. Please continue to pray for us as we travel down this bumpy path at this moment in our life. I know we will get through this with the help of our family and friends. We are so grateful for each and every one of you!

We love you!

Changes

2009-05-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a while since I have written a new blog. Things have been kind of crazy lately. First of all, I have taken a new job with Frisco ISD for the new school year. It was such a tough decision. When I got the call that I was offered the job, I was so excited but so scared. I wanted to make the right decision and I was at a crossroads. Travis and I spent one weekend talking about the pros and cons for each job. By the end of the weekend, we had made the decision that I would move to Frisco. I cried many tears that weekend because I didn't want to leave my friends are my kiddos. It's amazing how some of my most challenging students were the ones that made the decision the hardest. In the three years, that I have been at Brinker, I have established some amazing bonds with my students and the thought of them being in someone else's hands scared me. They were my "little babies." Fortunately, my principal found someone to fill my position quickly and I had the opportunity to meet and work with her today for the first time. She observed me in therapy and we reviewed the paperwork/strategies that work with the students and teachers. I want it to be an easy transition for her since it is her first year. I remembered how I felt my first year....OVERWHELMED! I think the new SLP will do great. I will be working with more in the next few weeks. It will definitely be easier to turn my kids to someone else. I am scared about starting somewhere new and leaving my comfort zone at Brinker but I am excited about the new change. I know it is a great decision for Travis and I and for our futre family.

Secondly, Travis and I are in the process of putting flooring down in our house. WHAT A MESS! We are so excited! The past two weekends, we have been busy pulling up all of carpet and some of the tile. We had no idea how much of a mess pulling up tile would be. It took us forever to get everything free of dust. This past weekend, we finally finished getting our floors ready for when the flooring arrives and we painted our room which looks great! I am so excited to see the outcome! I will post pictures of our new floors as soon as their done and I promise to be better at blogging! :)

Love Y'all!
Mary

An Answered Prayer

2009-04-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, last Thursday was a big day for Travis and I. His company was having a layoff that day and we had to wait for the outcome. It was such a nerve-racking week for the both of us...more so for him. We knew about a month ago that there would be a layoff but we didn't want to think it would happen. The day finally came and he was safe!!!! Travis told me when they got to work, his supervisor pulled several of them into his office and told them that they still had a job! WHAT A RELIEF!!! When hecalled to tell me the news, I couldn't stop screaming and I was beaming from ear to ear and completely speechless. It was such a relief for both of us and it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of our shoulders. He is such a hard worker and I am so proud of him and all that he has done for the company, I knew he didn't deserve to be laid off. We were pretty confident, but there was still that little bit that kept tugging at us to be prepared if it went the other way. We turned to our faith and knew we had to leave it in God's hands.

Thank you to all of our friends and family who supported and prayed for us during this difficult and stressful time. I especially want to thank all of my friends at work. You guys were such a huge support for me while I was dealing with my job which at times can be stressful. Thanks for keeping me upbeat and positive. To my mom, thank you so much for listening to me cry countless nights on the phone because I was so scared of what could happen. You and dad were such great supporters for the both us. We love you!

Pig Roast 2009

2009-04-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Travis and I and a couple friend of ours, Meagan and Matt, went down to Louisiana for the Pig Roast. We had such a great time. We drove down there on Thursday night and got in early Friday morning. The guys had to get up shortly after to for the Pig run. It is an all day affair. They go and get the pig and then on the way back, they stop at several bars and eat lunch. They make it back HOURS later! They go straight to the scout hut where the pig roast is being held and get ready for guys night. While they were doing that all day, my mom had made so many delicious dishes that I was craving to eat. Family came over and we ate and drank and then that night went out for some amazing seafood. The guys finally made it back home around 1:30am on Saturday. I'll put it this way....they weren't hurting! :)

On Saturday, it is family day at the Pig Roast. Of course, there is more delicious food and that's when they get the pig ready to eat. I'm not big on eating the pig as you will see in the pictures why. They have a lot of things for the kids to do and the adults visit, eat, and drink some more. It's a good time for everyone! Saturday night, is adult's only night. They get a band to play and there's more food and drinks going around...imagine that! My friend Ashley ended up surprising us at the pig roast. I had no idea she was coming. It was such a great surprise! By the end of the night, we were all exhausted. We finally got home around 3am on Sunday and then woke up for the 8 hour drive back to Dallas! Needless to say, it wasn't a fun trip home. Next year, we are definitley flying to the Pig Roast! Here are a few pictures from that weekend...

Do you see why I won't eat the pig??

Crawfish boil

2009-03-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all! Last weekend Travis and I went to a crawfish boil with some friends that I work with. We had a great time and the crawfish were SOOO good! We always have a great time when we hang out with this group of friends and it makes it ten times easier when all of our husbands get along! We are very fortunate to have such a great circle of friends!

For Travis and I not having family here, we realize how much our friends mean to us. We know we could call on them at anytime if we needed to. Our friends are what surround us here in Texas and each day we realize that this is where we need to be at this point in our lives.

The girls....Meagan, Sara, Jamie, Tracy, me, Carol, Ashala, and Alaina

We missed you Adriane and Marisa!

Carol, Tracy, and me

DuMonde XXX

2009-02-24T16:18:00.001-08:00

This past weekend, Travis and I traveled down to Louisiana for Mardi Gras. One of the greatest things about Louisiana and my culture. My dad was a duke in DuMonde, which is the local Mardi Gras ball in LaPlace. He told my sister and I in December at Christmas time. I was so excited and couldn't wait for this weekend to come. I knew how much fun it was when I was a Maid in 2000. My dad had a wonderful maid which made it even better. We used to swim together at Riverlands and her dad was the Captain of the ball when I was a maid. This year the theme was The Roman Empire. My dad was Duke Leonidas. I thought I would never see my dad in a dress :) It was a great night. This was Travis' first Mardi Gras and what a way to experience it. He had so much fun and is already ready for next year's Mardi Gras!!!! After the ball ended, we went to my dad's good friend and also a duke, Mr. R.J. for a breakfast. I was so tired from traveling and not sleeping, that I had to leave early and get some rest because I knew Saturday was going to be another busy day.

On Saturday, we went to a parade in Reserve called Towapasa. WOW!!! It was fun and interesting! It's a parade where anything goes! That night, we went to Metairie so Travis can see more parades. It didn't take him long to figure out what you had to do when the floats past. He had himself a blast! You would never know it was his first Mardi Gras. That Sunday, was the LaPlace Parade that my dad and the rest of the court would ride in. We decided to stay so we can see him on the float. My dad was having so much fun! Once it was over, I began to dread the thought of having to say good-bye to my family. Even though we had an 8 hour drive ahead of us and it was after 2 in the afternoon, Travis knew I wanted to see my dad before I left so we decided to stay unti he arrived at my grandparent's house (they are on the parade route). Once my dad arrived, we visisted for a little while but then had to say good-bye knowing that we would be back in a month for Pig Roast. Travis and I had such a good weekend and it was more memories that we were able to share together. We are anxiously waiting Mardi Gras 2010!!!

My dad and his Maid, Meagan....Leonidas

Our Family

Dad and his girls

Mardi Gras Party

2009-02-02T15:50:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, Travis and I had a Mardi Gras party with some girls from work and their husbands. We had so much fun! It's amazing how our husbands have bonded so quickly each time we hang out. I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of friends that surround us. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves and I even ordered a King Cake for everyone to taste. I couldn't wait to eat a piece myself. It's one of the best things about Mardi Gras other than your usual order of Popeye's Chicken for the parades.
I owe a big thank you to my mom who picked up all kind of Mardi Gras stuff so we can wear it for the party! It was a hit! Thanks mom! I can't wait till we have everyone over again for more good times!

The girls

Tracy and I

Travis and I

The girls ready for Mardi Gras

Travis and Brad sporting the Mardi Gras gear

Brrrrrrr....

2009-01-27T16:06:00.000-08:00

When I moved to Texas 3 1/2 years ago, I never thought I would have to worry about snow and ice. Well....I was wrong!!! The school district that I work in decided to dismiss all students today at 12:30 due to freezing rain and potential ice. I must say, it was nice to come home a little early today. As I was driving through our neighborhood, I could already see icicles forming on some of the houses.

I decided to take a nap today and try to get warm. Little did I know that I wouldn't be able to sleep on my pillow! I guess Cooper was cold and decided he needed to get warm because he crawled right under the covers and put his head on my pillow. When I saw him in the bed, he just gave me a look that said "what did I do wrong?" I couldn't help but laugh. So, I just slept on Travis' side and we both took a nap. He is one spoiled dog! Here are some pictures of Cooper nestled up in our bed. Do you think he has it rough?!?!?!

Lazy Weekend

2009-01-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

Reigha sharing her snacks with Cooper

Cooper was so worried we were going to leave without him

Trying to stay warm

What a great watch dog!

Hey Everybody! This weekend has been pretty lazy for us. Travis had to work nights on Friday and Saturday. It's never fun when he has to work but it pays off in the long run. At least we can spend some time during the day together. I try and stay up until he comes home but I always end up falling asleep.

Last weekend, we went down to his parents to see everyone. We had a blast. His parents took us to Rock Springs where they have 45 acres. I love it out there. It's so peaceful but not a lot to do. On our way home from Rock Springs, we took the scenic route through Leakey. I have never seen that part of the Hill Country and I fell in love it. It was absolutely beautiful. It was a great chance for Travis and I to spend some time with his mom and Tommy. While we were there, we stayed with his sister Brittany and her husband, Jerry. They were in the process of remodeling their bathroom which was looking really good. I can't wait to see the finished product! It was also a chance for us to spend time with our niece Reigha. She's growing up so fast and she's already walking! She's so much fun to watch and see her personality. Cooper was so good with her and she was very generous with her food which made Cooper very happy :)

Next weekend we are throwing a Mardi Gras Party which I'm really excited about. It's going to be good to show everyone a little bit about my culture. I am ordering a King Cake as well so everyone can taste how delicious they are!! I can't wait to have some myself!

This year, we have the chance to go down for Mardi Gras because my dad is a duke in DuMonde. I am so excited for him and I know he will have a blast! He has a great maid too. I know how much fun I had when I was in it. This will be Travis' first time to experience Mardi Gras and I couldn't think of a better way to experience it than by going to the ball and the parades that weekend. I'm excited that I get to go home again and see my family! It will be a great weekend!

I hope everyone is doing well wherever they are and enjoying 2009 so far! I'm anxious to see what this year brings us! Love y'all!

A New Year

2009-01-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all! It's been a while since I have written. Travis and I were fortunate to spend two weeks in Louisiana with my family. I was thrilled to be home for that long. We arrived late Friday night before Christmas. My mom and dad had their annual Christmas party on Saturday. It was so good to see people and visit with them that we haven't seen since our wedding.

On Christmas Eve, we continued our tradition of going look at Bonfires on the River. They had some really neat ones this year. The tractor was the coolest because you were able to get in it. Of course, they had one made for LSU!! We went to mass that evening and then celebrated Christmas Eve with my mom's side when she makes her gumbo!! We finally got to bed after midnight that night, and then woke up early to do gifts and get ready for both side's of the family to come over for Christmas dinner. It was so good being around our family.

New Year's Eve was a blast! My mom and dad's good friend, Mr. R.J. and his wife Jodi, throw a huge New Year's Eve party every year. They had a D.J. this year and of course I was up there singing and dancing my little heart out. It was another chance for Travis and I to see everyone and visit with them. Needless to say, we weren't moving too fast the next day. We even decided to stay an extra day because we didn't feel like packing. The day came for us to leave and of course I cried even though I knew I would see them in Feburary. We are all so close so it makes it so hard to leave. At least, I will see them a lot during the spring! Here are a few pictures of our fun trip to Louisiana.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-15T16:09:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all! Travis and I had our first Christmas party at our house this year. We had so much fun. The guys bonded and the girls chatted it up. It was a great group of people and I'm so lucky to work with them. It's even better when the husbands get along! The girls did a cookie swap where we had to bake 6 dozen cookies each. Then, we each got samples of the other's cookies. We would definitely do it again but maybe not all the baking! :)

We leave for Louisiana in 4 days (who's counting???) I am so excited!!! It will be my first time home since the wedding and we will get to see all of our family! Christmas is such a fun time for my family with TONS of traditions! I can't wait to get back home! We will be there until New Year's Day and then we will head to the hill country to be with Travis' family for the weekend. We have a fun-filled two weeks ahead of us and I can't wait to enjoy every minute with Travis, Cooper and our families!

Meagan, me, and Ami

The girls

Tis' the Season

2008-12-08T15:55:00.001-08:00

Hey Everybody! Travis and I had a great weeekend! He had his first weekend off in 2 months! We finished up some last minute decorating before our party this coming weekend. On Friday, we went to my team christmas party and attempted to take our Christmas picture. We got what we could because Cooper is not a big fan of the camera. We had to take it quick! On Sunday, we put up our lights! This was our first year putting up lights outside. We had a good time hanging out and laughing the whole time! We staked Cooper out in the front yard so he could be with us while we did the lights. Travis did a great job putting them up! Here is a picture of the front of our house after we finished!

Cooper and I while we watch Travis

Travis putting up our lights

The Terrell's

Our Christmas picture!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all! We had a wonderful Thankgsiving with Travis' side of the family. We went to his brother and sister-in-law's house in Oklahoma because they just a had a little girl about a month ago. She is adorable and looks very much like her big brother, Jaden. We drove up to Oklahoma on Thursday morning and did a late Thanksgiving dinner. We had so much fun all being together. We decided to bring Cooper because we didn't want to leave him in a kennel. He definitely had a blast. Jared and Olivia have a huge yard, so Cooper ran and ran and ran until he couldn't run anymore. He was so tired Thursday night that he found Kadence's (our newest niece) jungle gym and fell asleep on it. I guess he thought that was the closest thing he was going to get to a bed. On Friday, me, Travis, Brittany, Jerry, Jared, and Olivia got up early and went shopping for about 6 hours or so. I enjoyed the 6 of us hanging out together. We always end of having a good time together. After we came back from shopping, Travis and I had to leave that afternoon so he cold go to work on Saturday morning. We didn't want to leave but knew we had too. Overall, we had a blast and can't wait till we're all back together again! Love you guys!

Me and Reigha (another niece)

Travis, Jared, Brittany, and Jerry playing football on Thanksgiving

Masters Swim Meet

2008-11-25T14:16:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday I partcipated in my first swim meet for the Plano Wetcats. It's an adult swim team that I started with last Spring. Initally, I was doing it for exercise since I was no longer able to run because of my knees. I have swam since I was nine and was excited to get back into it. My coach asked me to participate in this meet so I decided to go ahead and give it a shot. It's definitely a lot more laid back than other meets that I partcipated in before. You swim with people of all ages both male and female. There was even an 80 year old woman that my mom and I thought was so cute. She swam a lot of events and even dove off the diving block at her age and kept up with the other swimmers. I was pretty impressed.

I was used to swimming with just girls in a single event but the Masters puts both genders together. It's different but fun. My parents even came up for the meet and my dad ended up having to time. Some things never change :) I swam the 50m butterfly, the 50m freestlye, 100m freestyle, and the 200m freestyle. I am anxious to swim in my next meet. I think Travis even enjoyed it and mentioned that he would like to start coming to practice with me in the mornings. It was definitely an experience that I would like to do again. Here are some pictures from the meet.

Finally Finished!

2008-11-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

Well, after several weeks, we have finally finished painting the inside of our house except for bedrooms and bathrooms! We just had touch ups to do but have been unable to get to it with our schedules on the weekends. Travis has been working A LOT lately and only has Sunday off. We have to try to squeeze everything that we want to do in that one day. His boss loves his work ethics and how efficient he is which is a huge compliment to Travis. He is such a hard worker and I'm so proud of him. We decided this weekend that it would be a good idea to finish the touch ups since we will have company the next two weekends and then we will be hosting a holiday party after that. We loved the finish product of our house! It looks amazing!

After we finished, we decided to start a fire and roast some marshmallows since it was cold outside. Of course, I had one too many marshmallows. They are so good! We tried giving Cooper one but he got freaked out by the stick and the fire. He did have some marshmallows though go figure! He never passes up an opportunity on food! Here are some pictures of the weekend! Of course, I can't figure out how to put the pictures below the article yet! I'm still trying to figure this whole thing out! Enjoy!

A Dog's Life

2008-11-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys! I come home today and there's Cooper laid out on his pillow on our bed! He is so spoiled and I know Travis and I don't make it better. We treat him like he's one of us and take him wherever we go. Who would have thought we would have done that 2 years ago when I bought him??? Those first few months of life were rough....potty training, waking up during the night for him to go to the bathroom, or constantly playing fetch. We made it through those months and we love him more than ever. He's so much company and he always makes us laugh. I thought I would share a few pictures of Cooper.

New Beginnings

2008-11-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

Today, Travis and I have been married for 4 months. I can't believe that much time has gone by. It feels like just yesterday we were planning for the big day. It came and went so fast. Our wedding day was a day that we will never forget. It was more than I could have ever imagined. I owe a lot of that to my parents who made it possible since I was not home to help do most of the planning. The six months of planning were so much fun even though we were traveling back and forth to Louisiana. We had some amazing showers and received some amazing gifts. It was so fun for us to come back to our house and go through our gifts and put them up.

The day of the wedding went by so fast. I was a lot calmer than expected even though I had a ton of emotions flowing through me...happy, nervous, anxious, excited. I will never forget the ride to the church with my dad and thinking about all of the memories that we have shared since I was little and how we talked about this day and what it would be like for the both of us and for him to give his little girl away. When it was time for me to walk out, everything became surreal. I was so excited to see Travis at the other end waiting for me so we can start our new life together as husband and wife. The ceremony was great and the reception was even better. We had a blast and my parents surprised us with a jazz band. It was amazing and a day that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

A big thank you goes to our parents who made this day so special for us! We love you very much!

Mary

2008-11-12T15:56:00.000-08:00

Something New....

A friend told me about blogging and thought I would give it a shot. I figured it was a good way to keep in touch with our family and friends since we live away. We'll see how it works!