Mmm, mmm, love her!

Can you get enough of this face?!? She's too adorable. And we just can't kiss her face enough. Ellyotte might be the happiest, well adjusted baby on the planet - a far cry from Noah at 8 months... Maybe I am more at ease with being a mom second time around. Who knows. But, she's an easy and sweet baby.

Ellyotte weighs 19 lbs 4 ounces and is in the 75th percentile for weight at 8 months. She has her bottom two teeth and is about to cut her top front teeth. Not fun! She's had two ear infections in the last month... Ahhh. I am praying that it isn't anything serious and we don't have to go the "tubes" route. I am confident we won't though.

Ellyotte is just about to take off into the crawling world - if she sees something she wants, she scoots to it. It is funny to watch. Not too long till she's fully on the move though.

We love this baby - just adore her. She giggles so much when Dan walks into the room and buries her face into my shoulder. It's too cute.

I delight in this baby girl. And I delight in her big brother. God has been good to this family.

Romance

Dan and I took a much needed and deserved vacation the first week of March. We set off for Paris and then Rome! I had been to Paris 3 times already but Dan had never gone and neither of us had been to Rome. What a time we had... I will let the pictures show for themselves the amount of fun we had and the beautiful sites we saw. It was perfect. And not one day did we have even one cloud in the sky! Literally, it was blue skies all week. What a blessing.

This trip was in honor of our 5 year wedding anniversary (this past October) and in honor of the blood clot (pulmonary embolism I had back in July, post Ellyotte's birth) being removed from my lung. It was a celebration on many fronts.

My mom graciously watched the kids for us (not easy... both were very sick back here in Louisiana the whole time) and we were very thankful.

The food was incredible... AMAZING. Not kidding - Dan and I ate some of the best food we have ever eaten. We followed Rick Steves' suggestions and ate "off the beaten path." In Paris, we had the most amazing breads, cheeses and wines. We ate on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower (reservations we made months ago) at a 4 star restaurant. I've never dreamed there was more divine creme brulee in my LIFE than what we had in Paris!

Then in Rome, the pizza and pastas we had literally melted in our mouths. Oh and the red wine.... amazing. Just order the house wine by the liter and you are set.

Here are our favorite 100+ photos of the 500+ we took! Enjoy :)

Just Have to Share...

Brittany's sister has taken over her Facebook page and is posting notes about Brittany and Baby Shep and how they are making it through these first heartbreaking weeks.

I read this one in particular and just wept. I thought I would share with all of you who aren't Facebook friends with Brittany, and now, Brooke.

Please continue to pray for that precious and broken family.


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Sign #7: Monday, March 14, 2011-The 1-week anniversary had arrived, and every minute of every part of that day felt like I was reliving the Monday before so vividly in my mind. Allie had been so sheltered from the devastation of this tragedy the week before, but had been with us all (including Clint) since Saturday. Ryan and I had decided to wait on her lead before we said anything to her about why her baby Shep and BB were not around. I was waiting with anticipation as to when she was going to begin questioning me-I wasn't ready to share the heart-breaking news to her. She had been with her Uncle Nint and never asked us once about BB and Baby Shep. Ryan and I both said it was like she somehow already knew-Finally, on Monday she started to cry, she laid her head on my chest, told me how sad she was and then said, "Momma, BB and Baby Shep aren't coming back are they?" It was like in her little spirit she knew, and it was only after she elaborated more on her dream from the week before about Baby Shep, that Brittany had taken care of letting my Allie know (but more on that tomorrow!!)....Later that evening, we all struggled as the clock turned 5:15, as the pain of what Brittany and Shep experienced at that time rushed over us all-We stayed together like we have every night since the accident until we couldn't anymore. Clint left ahead of us, and we were still with mom and dad at their house. Mom had walked back to Shep's room, and was standing in the doorway when I received a text from Clint. He had gotten back to his mom's house, walked outside only to look up and see the clouds in the shape of a baby with huge angel wings in the night sky. He said he was shaking so badly he could barely text us.....As that text came into me, I was telling everyone-mom heard and came back down the hall crying. She said she had just said, "ok Shep, your momma has been giving us signs all week now, GiGi needs a sign from her sweet baby." At that moment, Shep, our little angel, had given us his first sign.

******

Wow.

Brittany's Facebook Page

I didn't want to post a status update with this info because I don't feel it is my place to do so there. However, I wanted all of you who are praying for Brittany and Baby Shep's family (and those of you on Facebook) to know that her sister, Brooke, has taken over her Facebook page. She is posting regular "Notes" in Brittany's "Notes" section about how the family is doing, how she's doing, how God is revealing Himself to them all.

She may or may not add you as a friend if you request Brittany's friendship but if she is, then I wanted to let you know so you too can follow them through their journey of grief and healing.

Let's continue to lift that precious family up before the Throne every day.

Blood of the Lamb

This was shared with me by my mom via email. I encourage all of you (after reading the previous post and the heartbreak that has been caused by the enemy this past week) to read this, print it out and CLAIM IT DAILY over your babies, your spouses and all of those you have authority over - including yourselves.

We stand as one on behalf of our children! The Blood of the Lamb has been applied to the door post of our homes! The spirit of infirmity must pass our homes because of the power of the Blood! No weapon that has been formed against our children will prevail!

The Blood saves (rescues). The Blood redeems (exchanges or converts as in a financial transaction; the Blood of Christ paid the price for our sin). The Blood delivers (liberates and frees). The Blood protects (it is a shield that guards, defends and cares for). The Blood provides (grants and supplies). The Blood heals (makes well). The Blood restores (reinstates, refurbishes, repairs and renovates). The Blood transforms (converts and makes over). The Blood provides everlasting life (eternal, ceaseless, perpetual).

We underestimate the power of the Blood. There is NOTHING that the Blood of Christ can not do.

Satan knows exactly what the Blood of Christ can do; therefore He has no choice but to pass over the household that has applied the Blood of the Lamb on its doorpost. He may growl as he passes but he must pass none the less. As he passes he will hear our roar (the roar of the parents that stand guard over their children); our cry declares Christ as our Redeemer! As for me and my house; the line has been drawn and the Blood of the Sacred Lamb has been applied!

To all that are seeking healing of any kind for their children; Father, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I know it is Your will, based on Your Word, that the medicine taken or the procedures given by and for our children, will be for their good and not for their harm for blessed is the Healer of the sick, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

I declare that I unite with every mother and father who is interceding for the salvation, redemption, healing and restoration of their children. God has promised strength for the day, rest for the weary, grace for the trials, everlasting and merciful love for our journey and He has promised to hear our cry and answer our prayer! Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers us from them all.

We stand as one; ready to fight, to declare and to receive, May the love of God bless you with everything that is good, may He grant each one of you His supernatural peace and may His favor be upon you and yours.

2 COR 2:14 NOW THANKS BE TO GOD WHO ALWAYS CAUSES US TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST JESUS

I am learning more and more that we have been given POWER and DOMINION and AUTHORITY by God. To say "God is in control" is a cop out, of sorts. If He was in total control, tragedies (like what happened to Brittany and Baby Shep) wouldn't happen. He has given us the authority, and the total CONTROL, to plead the Blood of the Lamb, His own Son, over all of the earth. And especially over those we have been given authority over. (Reference Matthew 12:29).

Satan comes to "kill, steal, and destroy" (John 10:10). Not God. He does not want us to suffer, nor do I believe he allows bad things to happen to us. But because of the sin of man in the Garden of Eden, Satan has been given a foothold in all of humanity. Thus, the most unbearable and unthinkable things happen to even the strongest of believers. Claim the authority you have been given today.

Brittany and Baby Shep

Most of you who read my blog know about what happened to our friend, Brittany Shepard Pugh, and her sweet boy, Shep, but there are many of you out there who do not.

Dan and I were in Paris and Rome without much communication back home (except for talking to my folks, who had our babies)so it wasn't till we landed in Atlanta on Thursday that I learned.

I grew up with the Pugh boys: Dax, Clint and Tyson and went to college with Brittany. Brittany married Clint 3 years ago and they had Shep 15 months ago. We communicated a LOT about 'mommy issues' and our friendship over the distance grew that way.

Last Monday, Brittany picked up her baby boy from her mom's house and was heading home (in Troy, Alabama - my hometown). Another car crossed the median and struck Brittany's. She was killed immediately and Baby Shep was lifeflighted to Children's. His daddy, Clint, was able to kiss him once more before they put him on the plane. They worked tirelessly to keep him alive but his heart wasn't strong enough for all of the trauma he sustained. He died Monday night a few hours after his mommy.

The lady who struck them also died that night.

Brittany and Shep were buried yesterday in Troy, Alabama: they are in the casket together. She was buried holding her baby boy in her arms.

I canNOT begin to imagine what Clint, her husband, and what her family is going through. Life is not supposed to end like this - babies are not supposed to die so tragically; mommies aren't supposed to be taken from their children - or WITH their children - nor away from their husbands so young.

I share this with you all - near and wide - so you can be praying for the Pugh and Shepard families. Nothing will bring them back, but our prayers for mercy, strength and grace through this time will help in the smallest ways.

Brittany loved Jesus, so we can be certain that she is holding her sweet Shep in her arms in heaven and dancing with her Savior.

What happened to them is so tragic and so heartbreaking. I encourage us all to love on our children a little more, kiss our husbands a little longer, and be certain - like Brittany was - that we will spend eternity with Jesus when that uncertain moment comes for us too.