More Summer Fun

The kids and I are in Alabama currently enjoying grandparents, pool time and fun friends. Dan is going to join us for the long weekend and I am so excited to get him here. Being at my parent's home is a vacation - it is a resort!

We had the Back to School bash here at the Waters in Pike Road, Alabama this past weekend and it was so much fun. The photo of Noah getting a pie in his face was too awesome to not capture. He wanted all day to throw a pie in someone's face so he got his plate loaded up and ran into the crowd with such enthusiasm. While he looked and looked for someone to 'pie,' a 10 year old came out of no where and slammed a pie into his pretty little face. I couldn't help it - I started clicking away as he screamed because I wanted him to have those shots one day (say, Senior yearbook or wedding slideshow!) He wasn't hurt physically but he was SO mad that he got hit - his feelings and pride were hurt. Pitiful, I know but oh so funny!

A Glimpse

Here is a look into our lives over the past two weeks:

I got almost a foot of my hair cut off! Too many of my friends and loved ones are losing/have lost their hair because of their fights against cancer - plus we are approaching 50 days straight of 100+ degree weather - that I decided it was time to go back to my really short style I had in college!

Noah has started Pre-3 K and goes 5 days a week. LOVING it. He has been in Mother's Day Out for 2 years now but that was only 2 days a week. And after this long hot summer in the Bayou, he and I both have cabin fever from not being able to go outside much. So this new schedule (9-12:15 M-F) is a welcomed change.

Ellyotte has gone from our sweet, passive, quiet baby to a LOUD, aggressive (in a good way!) and opinionated 1 year old. Not kidding - she and Noah will fight all day over a toy and if he has any kind of food in his hand that she wants, she will pull his hair and climb all over him till he caves and shares with her. It is funny to watch now... but it is a glimpse into the future of these two headstrong Beall babies!


(The Beall Band!)

How to Help

After having read my previous post several people have emailed me to ask how they can help the families of the victims of this past week's Chinook tragedy in Afghanistan.

I spoke with my buddy and he said that since so many men were killed at one time and that bodies are slowly making their ways home for funerals, specific efforts aren't completely underway just yet.

However, there are a few ways you can reach out in the meantime (I promise to let you all know when J. let's me know how we can specifically help), there are a few organizations that are accepting donations for those families left behind:

Naval Special Warfare Foundation/Navy SEAL Foundation
http://nswfoundation.org/

Wounded Warrior Project
https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=167&gclid=CPvUwcXfzKoCFUjt7QodTnDczg

And most important, you can continue to pray for the families and friends as they begin the lifelong journey of mourning their soldiers.

Here are some of the pictures of the fine young men that America lost last weekend. 2 of those men were natives of Shreveport, Louisiana - where we are stationed currently. It is a huge "hometown" loss for this patriotic area.

Weariness and Service

It is amazing what God will whisper to you. He gives me what I need when I need it.

This has been a heartbreaking week for our country. Obviously we have all heard what happened last Saturday when 30 of our troops were killed in a chopper crash in Afghanistan. 3/4 of those men were members of Navy SEAL Team 6.

One of my best friends is also a SEAL. Praise God he was home in the US when this happened (he was relieved from deployment in Afghanistan a few months ago when those killed replaced him and the others); but I am certain there have been many moments this week that he wished it was him and not his fallen brothers. What a burden to think "that could've been me..." when you know you were on countless choppers in countless firefights just like his best buds.

I have been so heavy hearted for those families who lost their men: fathers, husbands, sons, brothers and obviously, friends.

In addition to that, Dan and I learned that two of the pilots Dan used to work with (when he was the intelligence officer for a fighter squadron several years ago) were also killed when a gunman entered the Kabul, AFG airport and opened fire. 9 of our civilians and troops were killed when that happened. 2 of them were fine fighter pilots who were also husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, friends....

War is a terrible thing. It is awful to observe from afar and it is even more painful when there are faces to the names of the fallen.

I haven't been sleeping much and I am not sure why. My doctor gave me a prescription for a sleep aid but that thing makes me crazy! And I mean crazy: I will get up at night and not have any recollection of it. My only clues being that Dan will notice/see me get up and/or things are left out of place letting me know I was roaming. Scary, I know!

So I am trying to avoid taking it. But that means I will wake up in the wee hours and not be able to go back to sleep. Agh, I am tired! Noah doesn't start "school" till Monday so my days have been long with the two babies. Long, but extremely fulfilling. I love being able to stay home with them in these young years.

Last night was another long night for some reason. I woke up at 2 am and didn't go back to sleep at all. Then Noah woke up early to go to the bathroom and then Ellyotte woke up so we were all up way too early! By 8 am, I wanted to go back to bed. It felt like we had had a full day already.

I drank coffee, a Spark energy drink, ate breakfast, took my vitamins. But nothing was working at giving me the pep I needed just to make it to nap time. So, when all else fails: hit the WORD, right?!

I opened up my "Jesus Calling" devotional (awesome. by Sarah Young) and wouldn't you know that August 12th was from Romans 8:26:

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans."

I didn't even ask Him in advance for food for my weak and weary spirit. Yet, He knew I needed it and gave it to me anyway. The devotion was perfect:

"Come to me when you are weak and weary, Rest snugly in My everlasting arms. ... your weakness draws Me closer to you."

That is so hard to do: draw close to God when you are weak/weary. Because it takes energy to draw close to Him. It takes an effort to go get my Bible and find some quiet moments to spend with just Him. As any mom knows, quiet moments don't exist unless you make time for them. I am so glad that I did this morning. Yes, I am still tired physically but my spirit is energized. Praise God for that!

Hearts will always be broken, our spirits will always be weak but how thankful I am to have a heavenly father who knows my heart and my weakness every minute of my day. I just got an email from a family friend who is deployed in Afghanistan currently. He sent it to his family following the horrible crash. His unit gathered in formation to honor the victims immediately after his commander learned of the accident. In the email, he shared that the co-pilot (CW4 Carter) of the chopper had a tattoo on his arm that said:

"When I get to Heaven, to St. Peter I will tell 'Here I am reporting, sir! I have spent my time in hell."

Don't we all feel like that sometimes? This earth is so temporary and all the trappings of it are so fleeting. I hope that CW4 Carter - and all of the other brave men - now is experiencing the joys of the heaven he longed to receive.

Noah notices the American flag wherever we go. I recite the Pledge of Allegiance to him daily so he will learn it like I learned it at a young age. Yesterday, as we walked into Wal Mart, he asked me why the flag was only "halfway up." I told him - as best as I could - that it was because our country was very sad. I told him that we lost a lot of good soldiers this week. He asked a few questions and then we moved on. When Dan got home, he said "Daddy, our Merican flag isn't all the way up. Merica is sad cause lots of soldiers died." It was a moving moment as I watched my toddler tell his daddy that while Dan was standing there in his uniform.

I am proud of my little family and of my husband who selflessly wears that uniform every day. And while Dan sometimes feels like he's not giving back eternally in the career field he is currently serving, I am proud that he raises his hand every day and says "Here I am Lord, send me" by way of serving his country. And I am honored to be able to raise our children with Dan as he teaches them the meaning of service by doing exactly what he's doing: serving.

So while I am weary, and while my heart is heavy, I am thankful for today. And thankful that God has given me and mine the gift of today because tomorrow is not promised. And because of that, I will find the energy to fully enjoy the moment. One day, we will all find ourselves heartbroken as our loved ones go on before us so today, let's love and be loved and serve and be served and give thanks and be thankful for today.

Happy Sunday

I couldn't resist sharing these pictures. They make me smile!

 Happy girl!

 My exercise buddies

 My mini-me

 I'm not too big for the baby swing...

 Daddy, Ellyotte and Noah building forts

Sunday afternoon nap

Thank You.

This is the letter I sent to my family and a few friends yesterday: the one year anniversary since my pulmonary embolism. The 'thank you' extends much further than those I emailed. I want to thank you all for your prayers and support that literally spared my life. Thank you all so much.

_______________________________________

Family,
One year and six days ago our family welcomed precious Ellyotte. To me, life couldn't get much better than it was holding her in my arms and being surrounded by all of you in the hospital room. But it could get much worse....

One year ago today, 27 July 2010, was the most frightening day of my life, thus far. And having to watch my mom go through it all again (since her brother died from the same thing I had: a pulmonary embolism) was agonizing.

This has been a long, but blessed year. The prayers that Mrs Lucy McKee (who has since gone to become a member of that glorious host of angels advocating and praying on our behalf from above) sent up on my behalf days before the clot even happened, and because she was listening to the Spirit, saved me.

And because my mom also listened to the urging of the Holy Spirit and walked into Noahs room and caught me trying to breathe and forced me to the ER, we were able to catch the PE in time.

The support and prayers lifted up on my behalf after it happened sustained me. I am so thankful to no longer be on blood thinners and able to exercise and travel and enjoy life to the fullest. And it is because of you - blood family and friends - that I am here.

I was at my lowest point ever in that hospital bed in the heart unit - having just spent 3 days in the labor and delivery unit celebrating our new life. Dan had to take new Ellyotte home and be with my mom and noah while I got injections and blood work done all night and several days following. One of my best friends, Amy Hall in Nashville, let me wail and sob and fall apart on the phone while she just listened and prayed for me. She will never know what her quiet strength did for my breaking spirit at that dark hour in my life. And having my dad and sister get right back into the car after having just returned to Alabama following Ellyottes birth, meant the world to me. Then my mother in law and sister in law, Annie, selflessly sacrificing their time and love to come take care of me and the babies while I healed was exactly what I needed.

Most of all, my husband and my mom's support - emotionally, spiritually and physically - through those days following the clot was what initially brought me through and allowed me to get on the road to recovery.
Thank you all for your love and support; you have no idea how much it means to me and Dan. He was facing being a widower and father of two babies - God clearly had a different plan than Satan and I praise him for that. He is worthy and greatly to be praised.

Love,

Katie

Ellyotte's FIRST Birthday Party!

If you judge by the pictures, this baby girl had a GREAT first birthday! We had about 30 friends over to celebrate her big day this past Saturday. She had cake, ice cream, and tons of fun. Ellyotte got lots of toys and clothes and books - and she was such a sport. She literally enjoyed every minute of the day! And Dan and I did too: we set up a "redneck water park" in the back yard where the bigger kids and men enjoyed the 105 degree heat (!!) and beer, and the ladies and babies stayed inside.

What a fun afternoon! My mom and sister were here and we just had a special, memorable time.

Ellyotte's Invitation

Here is the cute CUTE invitation we sent out to Ellyotte's friends and family. Her party was yesterday, July 23, 2011, and I am busy uploading the fun pictures from her big day. I will post soon!

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

07.21.2010

In 5 days, our precious Ellyotte Pierce Beall will be 1. I am dumbfounded by the way the year has gone by and how it is a blur yet a lifetime. There is no way to imagine my life before my daughter entered it. Every smile, laugh, nose crunch, reach for me, whine, word spoken, dirty diaper, roll on the floor with her brother, everything my baby girl does melts me and molds me closer to her. She's my mini me and my fresh start. The innocence that surrounds both of those babies is surreal. I want to keep it that way forever.

The love I have for our first born, Noah, is so different from the love I have for my girl. I don't love him or her more or less; it is just DIFFERENT. Just today, I called Noah my baby. He said "I not a baby. I'm big." Yet he knew when I called him my baby what I meant. He knows he will always be my baby boy. He's my fiesty redhead - a reminder of my very Irish heritage and of my beloved Aunt Mamie who passed onto Heaven in November; he's the antagonist in my days, the one I go head-to-head with constantly; the one I "nap" in "mama's bed" with... even though I rarely sleep, I let him nuzzle in the crook of my arm and I just breathe him in. He still says "I wanna hold you mama." Gah, that melts me and no matter how frustrated I am by him, I let him "hold" me. But Ellyotte.... I look at that face and I am just amazed by how differently I love her.

When she was delivered via scheduled c-section on 21 July 2010 and entered this planet at 8:05 AM, I had no idea how my life would change. Obviously for the better, long term. But within six days - 144 hours - I was back in the hospital facing MY eternity and my babies and husband were facing their lives without me in them. I sat on the phone with one of my best friends on this earth, Amy Hall, all alone in a hospital bed in the heart unit of the same hospital where life had just begun for my daughter and sobbed to the depths of my soul. She just let me and prayed for me because I was at a loss for words.

As I've said in previous posts, all I could hear over and over in my brain were the words Sally Fields screamed in "Steel Magnolias" in the graveyard after her baby was buried: "(Her son) will never know how wonderful his mother was and how much she loved him." I had carried Elly since conception and not for one second - even when we craved sleep in the hospital post surgery and I asked the nurses to take her to the nursery and within 15 minutes, I couldn't stand her being 30 feet away and made them bring her back - had I been away from her.


Yet, I kissed her new head, nursed her and sent her home with the love of my life, the father of my babies, to be with MY mom - who had given me MY life and who was at MY house hysterically crying and praying over HER firstborn. My mom had lost her only brother to a pulmonary embolism following knee surgery so she was my angel in disguise. She found me gasping for air, she forced me to go to the hospital and despite her deepest anguish and fear, she kept my house running and took care of herself, my babies and my husband while I struggled.

That is how Ellyotte's first year on this earth started. The months following her birth, she went with us to internist, OB, hematologist appointments and never cried or protested. God gave us a baby that we needed for the challenges we faced. She's never been a challenge: unlike Noah, no colic, no sleepless nights, no prolonged crying. At one year, she sleeps 14 hours a night and still takes two long naps during the day. But when she misses a nap here and there, she never cries. Dan swears that when she cries, it is because we have done something wrong. And, that is usually the case.


Our Elly Belle is the sweetest, happiest baby we have ever been around. We've been told time and again we should never, ever even consider getting pregnant again (because of my uterine window condition and the clotting disorder I have), and given how good Ellyotte is and how wild Noah is, we might want to consider that advice: nothing gets better than Miss Ellyotte! She's the best baby ever and we would be pressing our luck if we pursued adding any more to our brood. For as good as she is, we'd be begging for one just as bad!

At ONE YEAR, Ellyotte is:
- 22 lbs, 11 ounces and 31" long. She is a LONG string bean!
- Wears size 2T in clothing - because of her length.
- Wears a size 4 shoes. Still a bit big on her but she no longer comfortably fits into a 3...
- Says many things: Cat- eeow (everything animal wise - even our fish - are cats!), bah (for bottle or food), night night (when she's tired at night), nap (yep, she tells me when it is time for nap), buhbuh (for Noah), dah-dah (daddy), maaaahhhhh-maaaahhhh (she's super dramatic when it comes to me!), jah-jah (for her Jan Jan - my mom), gahddy (for my dad, Graddy), dank-eeewwww (thank you).
- she's trying so hard to walk! Not too much longer. We think we inhibited her walking by putting her into her walker - which she's a speed demon in!
- Have I mentioned she's a mama's girl!? Yep, that she is.

We do have an appointment with a specialist on 4 August. It is the "final word" in our reproductive pursuits.... Dr. Groom will tell us once and for all if/when one or both of us should be sterilized. We know the challenges we face should we have more and we know that given how perfect our two existing babies are we shouldn't push our luck. But.... how do we KNOW that we aren't supposed to have more?? Yes. My uterus is a wreck and my blood condition is a mess. But do we trust the 15th "man" that tells us to never have any more children or do we trust God and not do anything to prevent a pregnancy? Is that irresponsible to disregard MY health for the life of another unborn child? Or do we trust the opinion of an extremely well respected high risk OB to be the final judgement call? Please pray for us and for our decision. We want to be responsible: I am a wife and a mother of two first and foremost. I realize what I am looking to risk to bring another life into the world but what am I supposed to do??? Sterilize myself or pursue our desire to add more to our family? Please pray....

Nonetheless, wish our baby girl - our MIRACLE baby, Ellyotte - a happy first birthday. For as many doctors that told me that I shouldn't still be alive, that same number have said that our daughter should have been the first casualty of the blood clot and the uterine window I suffered post-Noah c-section.

God bless this baby as she enters her 2nd year for she blesses so many others with her new and pure and sweet spirit.

Beach Fun

We had a BLAST at the beach!!! The first few days were just "us" four and then my folks joined us. We were there for 8 days and had a wonderful time. We went putt-putting, swam LOTS (Noah is quite the FISH!), slept and laughed. What an awesome time together and with my folks - and some friends mixed in!