The Grafius Family

Jeep Cake

2010-08-23T13:16:00.002-05:00

This is a cake I made this weekend for a 5oth birthday party. I am no Ace of Cakes, but people seemed to like it.

Recent Cake Making

2010-08-15T15:50:00.003-05:00

I made this cake this weekend for a friend's baby shower. I think it is one of the best cakes I have done so far. I am really excited about the upcoming classes I am going to be taking to continue educating myself on cake decorating. This cake was a lot of fun.

This cake is certainly boobalicious!:) Isn't this how we all look when we are pregnant?

Hangin' With Grandpa

2010-08-05T14:30:00.002-05:00

Caroline loves feading the fish at Grandma and Grandpa's house in San Antonio. Here is she is hanging out with Grandpa.

Here is Grandpa trying to keep her from falling in the pond.

This Emily literally "haning out" with Grandpa. Gotta love these girls!

Summer Lovin'

2010-08-05T13:50:00.002-05:00

This is Caroline at the sprinkler park. It has been so hot this month that even being outside near water does not appeal to me, but Caroline loves it.

Here is Caroline posing with her BFF Reagan
This is Caroline's other BFF Mollie looking extremely stylish.

My Mom Rocks

2010-06-29T12:57:00.002-05:00

Ok, so many of you know that I was on bed rest for about six weeks of my prenancy. Then, I had to have surgery three weeks after Emily was born. I could not have made it through the last several months without my mother's help. She is amazing. She spent every week of my bed rest here in Austin to help me with Caroline. Then she was here after Emily was born and during my surgery. I am so blessed to have such an awesome mom who is so willing to help. I love this picture of Grandma with her girls.

Emily at One Week

2010-06-29T12:48:00.002-05:00

We have chosen a lamb to use as our measuring tool for Emily. This is her very first photo shoot with "Sam the Lamb," a name that Caroline came up with all on her own. I don't know where she gets these things.

Bringing Emily Home

2010-06-29T11:13:00.004-05:00

Emily had a wonderful home coming. My mom and sister were there to welcome her with flowers, balloons, and a yummy cake for mom and dad. I am so grateful to them for all of the hard work they did for us over the last few months.

Emily looks so small in the car seat.

Hanging out in the bouncy seat.

Her first bath at home was not a joyous occasion.

A warm towel makes all the difference.

Getting back in the swing of things

2010-06-05T10:45:00.001-05:00

Well as if having a baby in the last month wasn't enough, I had surgery yesterday to remove my gall bladder. I am hoping to get some posts up soon. We really have taken more pictures of Emily since she has been born. Please pray for a speedy recovery. I am really ready to be done with hospitals for a while.

Meeting Baby Emily

2010-05-12T14:51:00.004-05:00

Caroline loves her new little sister. We have really tried to give Caroline some responsibility for Emily by giving her "jobs" to do like bringing us diapers and wipes. She can be a little rough with her, so we have to keep a very watchful eye on her, but overall, she has been adjusting well.

She is Here!

2010-05-12T14:39:00.004-05:00

Emily Kathryn is here. She arrived via induction on May 4 at 1:34 pm. After 5 hours of labor and 20 minutes of pushing Emily made her way into the world, all 10 pounds 2 ounces of her. She has been a joy to us. Her resemblence to Caroline is almost uncanny. Here are some early pictures of Emily.

Induction Set

2010-04-29T10:42:00.001-05:00

Unless Emily comes on her own, we will be induced on Tuesday morning at 7 am. Please pray for a smooth delivery and a healthy baby. We can't wait to meet her.

Prayer Request

2010-04-27T14:18:00.002-05:00

Yesterday morning, one of my girlfriends here in Austin gave birth to her daughter, Natalie at 26 weeks due to an almost complete placental abruption. So far, Natalie is doing ok. Her lungs are very underdeveloped, and she will be in the NICU for the next 14 weeks at least. Jenn is doing well despite the emergency c-section. Please pray for little Natalie. She weighed in at 1.3 pounds.

As far as things with the Grafius family go, I am still pregnant. I am 38 weeks this week and very eager for Emily to make her arrival. I will be induced at 39 weeks if she does not arrive sooner. I am currently 3 cm and 60 % effaced which is what I was when I delivered Caroline. Please pray that I will go into labor on my own. I would like to know what it is like to go into labor on my own since I was induced with Caroline. Don't get me wrong, I am all about my epidural, but I would just like to know how to tell that I am in labor. Also, seeing as how little Emily is an out of pocket expense, not having to be induced would be good. I can't wait to share about her when she arrives.

Double Stroller

2010-03-31T09:45:00.001-05:00

Ok friends, I need thoughts on double strollers. Caroline will be 2 when Emily is born.

Quick Update

2010-03-21T14:50:00.002-05:00

Well I am still on bed rest. At this point, I will probably be on bed rest until at least week 35. I am currently 32 weeks and 4 days. I have another doctor's appointment this Wednesday. A huge praise that I have is that Emily is now head down. We are just hoping she stays that way. My mom has been here helping with Caroline and that has been a huge blessing. My sister is in town from New Orleans to help out this week which is really awesome. Currently, she is painting one of my bathrooms for me, a project that I intended to finish before miss Emily's arrival but alas it would be frowned upon for me to do it. I am super grateful for her willingness to help me.

I had a baby shower this last weekend so I will be posting some pics from that soon.

Lots of Rest for the Not So Weary

2010-03-08T14:29:00.002-06:00

Well, I have officially been put on bed rest. Last Monday, I went to Labor and Delivery at the prompting of my doctor's office because I had been experiencing a lot of pressure, contractions, and trouble breathing over the weekend. When we arrived at the hospital, we were put in a room and I was hooked up to fetal monitors. Emily is doing great. Her heart rate sounded perfect for her gestational age. The monitor showed that I was having contractions, but the nurse referred to them more as uterine irritability. The nurse did a pelvic exam and found that I was dilated to 2cm which is not a good thing at 30 weeks. The biggest concern the doctor had while I was being checked out is that I was having trouble breathing and I had an elevated heart rate which signaled to her that I may have a pulmonary embolism. This is obviously a very scary thing since blood clots can be fatal, so they had a CT Scan done immediately. Praise the Lord: it was negative. I spent Monday night in the hospital for more monitoring and was sent home Tuesday morning with instructions that I was to be on bed rest until further notice.

Most people might think bed rest sounds really great, but let me tell you it isn't. Just as I was being put on bed rest, I feel like my nesting instinct kicked in. My mom has been here helping me with Caroline which is a huge blessing. I am not allowed to pick her up, so having someone here all the time is great.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning which I am really excited to go to. I am hoping she might give me a better idea of how long I will be on bed rest. Frank and I covet all of your prayers. We obviously want Emily to stay cooking for quite a while longer. You can also pray that I don't have to go into the hospital for any more monitoring. We don't have maternity insurance, so everything has to be paid for out of pocket. We obviously put Emily's health first, but it would be nice not to have any more hospitals stay than absolutely necessary.

I should be updating the blog more since I have so much time on my hands. Love to you all.

Snowy Days

2010-02-26T11:24:00.003-06:00

Well as strange as it may seem, we had about 3 inches of snow this last week here in Austin. It was crazy! I haven't seen that much snow in central Texas since the big snow of '85. Some of you may remember it. Anyhow, I thought I would post some pictures of Caroline and her daddy playing in the snow.

Recent Pictures of Caroline

2010-02-16T10:52:00.003-06:00

I can't believe that Caroline is 20 months old. Time flies. She is a bundle of energy which can be trying at times since I am seven months pregnant. We love her more and more each day, and it is hard to imagine sharing that love when Emily arrives. Here is some recent info about Caroline:

At her 18 month check-up she weighed 26 pounds and was 31 1/2 inches long

She has all of her teeth except her back molars which I understand she will get around age 2

Her hair is finally starting to grow a little--we can now give her a Pebbles style pony-tail on top

She is always increasing her vocabulary, but we haven't made the jump to 2 word sentences yet

As of yesterday, she has attempted to use the potty three times
(I don't know if I am ready for this)

Overall, she is a huge blessing.

Update on Baby Emily

2010-02-11T13:45:00.002-06:00

Ok, so it has been forever since I have posted anything, and for that I apologize. We had an ultrasound yesterday to check out Emily's heart now that she is a little further along. Frank was born with a heart defect that was fixed surgically at 18 months. Since heart defects of any kind can be hereditary, all of our babies have to be looked at while I am pregnant. Anyhow, the ultrasound yesterday revealed that Emily's heart looks perfectly healthy and everything else looked good too except that SHE IS GINORMOUS! Emily is currently in the 97th percentile for her size (I should have a child who is in the A range:). She is measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule. What this means is if my doctor allowed me to go to 40 weeks, we would be having a 10 to 11 pound baby. That said, we will either have to induce early or have a c-section. I am a little disappointed that I won't be able to go into labor on my own. I was hoping for that after being induced with Caroline. However, Frank and I just feel so blessed that she is healthy.

More updates to come.

Book Recommendation

2010-01-15T11:25:00.003-06:00

I saw a review of what seems to be a great new book for moms. I haven't read it yet, but I plan to as soon as I get a copy. If anyone has read it, let me know what you think.

Title:
Steady Days: A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood
Author:
Jamie Martin

I found the review on SimpleMom.net

Baby Number 2 is...

2010-01-06T15:03:00.002-06:00

Caroline is going to be the proud big sister to her new little sister, Emily Kathryn. We found out a few days before Christmas that we are going to have another little girl, and we are thrilled. I used to think I only wanted one little girl but after having Caroline, I am super excited to have another girl. Not to mention the fact that a new girl will be so much less expensive for now due to the amount of girl things we already have. Caroline has already learned how to say her sister's name which comes out "Emmy." I love it!

Christmas Time in San Antonio

2009-12-28T15:18:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We spent most of the week in San Antonio with my family then headed back to Cedar Park for Christmas dinner with Frank's parents. Below are just some fun shots of Caroline with some of her gifts. My family was so very generous with what they gave Caroline this year. Needless to say, she is set on toys for quite a while. I hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating this year.

This is a big giraffe floor pillow that my grandmother got for Caroline. She loves it! She just lounges on her pillow. She is adorable.

My sister got Caroline her very first tutu. It is so girly. I can't wait until she is actually old enough to take ballet.

Caroline's first cell phone courtesy of her Uncle James.

Caroline got her first baby doll for Christmas. She loves it. We are hoping this will help her to practice being "gentle" so that when baby number 2 comes along she won't throw it on the floor.

Grandmother

2009-11-08T12:55:00.003-06:00

I am writing this post as a way to request prayer for Frank's Grandmother. She is 89 and in what seems to be the last season of her life. She has recently been having a lot of breathing complications and low blood pressure, not to mention she is down to 80 pounds. We covet your prayers for her. We do not know if she is a believer which makes this a very hard process. Please pray for her as God brings her to mind.

More Details on Baby Number 2

2009-11-05T15:35:00.003-06:00

Ok, so apparently I got a little flack from the hubby about my brevity in my previous post, so I will attempt to give more information about baby number 2. I am currently at 13 weeks and starting to feel better. I have not felt awful but I have definitely been more nauseated with this pregnancy. I have also been really tired which is due in part to being pregnant and in part to my rambunctious 17 month old. We were trying to get pregnant and were very blessed to get pregnant quickly. We should be finding out the sex of the baby (hopefully) the week of Christmas. We would love to have a boy, but having a girl already makes me want another girl because they are so great. I am excited about having another baby, but it doesn't seem real all the time. It is hard to think about it because Caroline consumes my thoughts.

We covet your prayers for the health of our little baby. Making it through the first trimester is a huge relief for me, but as we all know, things can still happen.

I have included some recent pictures of Caroline. She has grown so much, and she is so very active and expressive.

Caroline is going to be...

2009-11-03T11:07:00.002-06:00

...A BIG SISTER!!!

We are expecting baby number 2 in May.

Up and Running Again

2009-10-19T11:10:00.001-05:00

I finally have a computer. Some of our wonderful friends offered us a computer they weren't using, so I am back in business. More to come soon.

Computerless

2009-09-21T16:07:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone--I know it may seem that I have completely rejected the blogging world, but I assure you, I have not. I recently experienced a computer crash and am waiting for a computer that some friends are giving us. I am currently posting from Frank's work computer. Please pray that I will get the computer quickly and that all of my pictures from my other computer can be recovered. As you all know, losing pictures of your child's first year would be devastating. Love to everyone.

Fun in the Tunnel

2009-08-04T13:42:00.000-05:00

We found this great tunnel at Ikea. Caroline loves to play in it. It is a great purchase for a toddler. I think it was only $18. It also folds up for easy storage.

Caroline's One Year Old Pictures

2009-07-30T16:24:00.000-05:00

Photos Courtesy of Amy

Caroline's First Birthday

2009-07-30T16:01:00.001-05:00

Caroline's birthday was actually June 7th, but I haven't actually posted any of her party pictures. We had a swimming party at my grandparents' house which was really special to me because I have pictures of my own early birthday parties at the same house. Enjoy the pictures.

This is Caroline chillin' with her pal Jack in the pool

Caroline was so happy that her new pal Wyatt could come to the party. We loved seeing you guys!

I decided to do cupcakes for Caroline's party instead of a cake. As you can see, we chose citrus colors for her party.

Here she is totally fascinated by the wrapping instead of the present itself.

Caroline is checking out her new piano courtesy of Frank's parents.

Caroline loved her cupcake! She was quite a mess when it was all over.

Seizure Info

2009-07-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, I found this info on WebMD and it is pretty much what we experienced with Caroline. Before all of this happened I was not very aware of what a febrile seizure was, but I wanted to pass along the information. What was most surprising to me was that seizures are a result of how fast a fever climbs not how high it gets. I hope this information is helpful.

Fever Seizures - Topic Overview

Fever seizures (sometimes called fever convulsions) are uncontrolled muscle spasms that can occur in children who have a rapid increase in body temperature. You may not even know your child has a fever. The rapid increase in body temperature in a short period of time is the cause of the fever seizure. Once a fever has reached a high temperature, the risk of a seizure is probably over. Most children who have a fever seizure have temperatures above 102F.
Fever seizures can be frightening but they are not usually harmful to the child and do not cause long-term problems, such as brain damage, mental retardation, or learning problems.
Fever seizures affect 2% to 4% of children. About 30% of children who have a fever seizure will have another one, usually within a year of the first seizure. These seizures are not a form of epilepsy.
A child who is having a seizure often loses consciousness and shakes, moving his or her arms and legs on both sides of the body. The child's eyes may roll back. The child may stop breathing for a few seconds and might also vomit, urinate, or pass stools. It is important to protect the child from injury during a seizure.
Fever seizures usually last 1 to 3 minutes. After the seizure, the child may be sleepy. You can let the child sleep, but check the child frequently for changes in color or breathing, or twitching arms or legs. The child also may seem confused after the seizure, but normal behavior and activity level should return within 60 minutes of the seizure.
A seizure is more likely to have been caused by a fever if the seizure occurred within 24 hours of the start of a fever. Fever seizures usually affect the whole body, not just one side. Most children have never had a fever seizure before and they also do not have other nervous system (neurologic) problems.
Review the Emergencies and Check Your Symptoms sections to determine if and when your child needs to see a health professional.

Our Brave Little Girl--Sorry Long Post

2009-07-08T12:53:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have already heard about our very scary day with Caroline, but for those that have not let me share with you our last few days. Caroline began running a fever on Sunday, and it continued through Monday. Her fever was peaking at about 101.9, and she had no other symptoms. Needless to say, we weren't terribly concerned. Monday she woke up from her afternoon nap, and her lips were a little purple as were her finger nails. At that point, I thought we might as well take her to the doctor to check for an ear infection or a UTI.

The doctor examined her, and all the normal places to see an infection were clear, so he asked us to come by the next morning so they could get urine to test for an infection. We left thinking everything was okay at that point.

Not even ten minutes later, I turned around in the car to check on Caroline, and her lips were dark purple and she wasn't breathing. We pulled over immediately and realized she was having a seizure. She was conscious but unresponsive. We rushed to the emergency room where I absolutely lost all composure with the woman at the front desk. Through my gushing tears, I explained what had happened and a nurse came to see us right away.

We sat in the exam room and watched helplessly as the nurses put an IV in Caroline's arm, attached a bunch of sensors, and tried unsuccessfully to put in a catheter. Caroline was completely hysterical which, for those of you who know her, is so uncharacteristic of her. When we arrived at the ER her normal heart rate of about 130 had climbed to about 220. This was very scary for us because our medical expertise comes from the show House.

Afterall of the monitoring, they determined that Caroline had a febrile seizure which is basically a fever-induced seizure. We left the hospital at about 9:30pm (we had been there since 5:30), and Caroline's temperature had gone down. We went to bed when we got home only to wake up to Caroline crying at 1am. We took her temperature, and it was 103.1. As I took her temperature, she began throwing up. We immediately went back to the ER to be on the safe side. When we arrived they took her temperature, and it was now at 105.7. Thankfully, she did not have another seizure. They monitored her and gave her medicine to reduce the fever, and we left at 3am.

We are still waiting on results from her lab work to tell us if she has a bacterial infection or just a plain old virus. Unfortunately, if it is a virus there is nothing we can do but manage the fever. The pediatrician told us that her seizure was completely related to the fever and in no way means that she will have problems with seizures in the future. We just know now that her threshold for fever is low.

This experience showed us so much how in control God is of the details. Thanks to the generosity of my sister and brother-in-law, we had a forward facing car seat for Caroline. I wouldn't have been able to see her otherwise. Another detail that did not escape my attention was the fact that Frank was there with me. I have been so frustrated lately about the fact that we only have one car, and I often am left alone without a car. If Frank hadn't come home to take me and Caroline to the doctor's office, I would have been alone when all of this happened. God is in complete control of our lives. Frank and I are so thankful to the Lord that what happened was not more serious. Thank you all of your prayers.

These are some pictures we took at the hospital.

Mario Bros Cake

2009-07-06T14:45:00.000-05:00

This weekend my nephew, Nathan, turned 12 years old. To celebrate, I made him a birthday cake with a Mario Bros theme. He loves video games, and I think he really liked the cake. Everything on the cake is made out of fondant which means you can eat the whole thing.

Pixar Cars Cake

2009-06-29T11:01:00.000-05:00

I made a cake this weekend for a friend's 2 year old son. I had so much fun doing it. I am trying to do cakes for people as often as I can for the practice. I thought it turned out pretty well.

Just Plain Cute

2009-06-17T10:27:00.001-05:00

This is a first for me. I actually took pictures and am posting them the same day.

These are just some cute pictures of Caroline in her pjs.

Oh yes, I am a walker. That is what I do; I walk.

Pretty please mom, can I have a phone too.

I have to be fashionable first thing in the morning.

This is her red carpet I don't care what you people think I am beautiful pose.

So many to choose from (or from which to choose)

2009-06-01T17:09:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I need some help. All suggestions welcome as long as they come with an explanation. We need to buy Caroline a big girl carseat. I am so lost in it all. Should we get a convertible carseat or a booster seat? What are the pros and cons of the seats you all have chosen. Please let me know asap. She is getting a little long for her infant carrier. Thanks in advance for the help moms.

Decisions, Decisions

2009-05-30T13:31:00.000-05:00

Ok so lately Frank and I have been discussing the topic that most couples would be discussing at this stage in the game: when will we be having baby number 2. This is not, by the way, my way of telling you there is a baby number two yet. I have been very ambivalent about the idea of having another baby. It just looks so hard. I have always wanted children, but I see people with more than one and think to myself "how do they go to the grocery store"? Although, my beautiful friend Amy makes it look so easy. Ok so the point of this post is to say that after my trip to Chick Fil A yesterday, two babies look very easy compared to the mom that I met there with 2 year old quintuplets. Oh yeah that's right, five 2 year olds. For any of you out there that are scared of having baby number 2, just remember it can't be as hard as five.

Bathing Beauty

2009-05-29T10:27:00.001-05:00

Caroline and I recently went to the most fun park with some of the moms and kids from our small group. Very close to our house is a sprinkler park, and Caroline had so much fun. I hope to go again soon since the day we went was a little cloudy. Lord knows I need some sun. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the pics of my sweet girl in her little bathing suit. PS--Swim diapers are one of life's mysteries. How do they do what they do?

She has the cutest little tushy!

Caroline's Dedication Day

2009-05-20T10:16:00.000-05:00

"For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him."

1 Samuel 1:27

Caroline was dedicated at our church here in Austin on May 3. We have been so blessed by the church here, it was an amazing experience to present our child to the church body and to ask them to help us as we try our best to raise her to love Jesus with all of her heart. If you notice, I normally refer to the church we go to in Austin as our church "here" or our "new" church. I do this because in many ways we still have a church family in San Antonio. I want those of you reading this from SA to know that you have had a part in the people that Frank and I are today and we are so grateful for you. Caroline will grow to be the woman God designed her to be because you all have impacted our lives.

This picture was taken with our dear friends Justin and Katie and their little man Caden who was also dedicated that day. They have been such a huge blessing to us. We have loved getting to know them this past year, and we have been so blessed by the experiences we have shared.

Frank and I are so blessed by our parents. We are fortunate to have parents that love and support us and are there for us any time we need them. We loved having them present with us when we dedicated Caroline. It was such an amazing thing.

Four Generations

We were also blessed to have my grandparents with us at the dedication. My grandparents have played such a huge role in my life, and I am definitely a better person because of them. They have challenged my to not only love my God but to know who he is and to understand the intricacies of His Word.

We also had some of our closest friends with us at Caroline's dedication. I have been trying to add a picture of them but I am having trouble, so I will just tell you about them. Amy and Ben are amazing people. We have been so blessed by their friendship these last several years. While our relationship as married couples dates back only to 2005, my relationship with Amy began in 1997. She has been an amazing friend to me. When I thought about who I would want to ask to be the spiritual godmother for my child, Amy came to mind immediately. There is no woman I trust more to love my child and to help me as I try to guide Caroline through life. Amy, please know that you are so very dear to me and it meant so much to me and to Frank that you and Ben were there with us for such a wonderful day. We love you both so much and we love you children and would do anything for them.

During Caroline's dedication, I was struck by something. I didn't think this would come up for me but it did. While the pastor was praying my mind drifted to the baby that we lost. I was saddened by knowing we did not have the chance to dedicate our first child to the Lord. I know that my child is with the Lord, but it was still a difficult moment for me. I say all of this because I know that I have friends that have walked in those dark places. Losing a child is so difficult. I know that God was glorified through my child and through those that my friends have lost. To those friends, I weep with you. I have said this before but I feel that you get through the experience of losing a child but you never get over it. Love to you all.

He is risen indeed!

2009-04-14T10:25:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter everyone. I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend rejoicing over the resurrection of our Lord. We had a great time this weekend with family. My parents came up from San Antonio for the weekend, and Sunday, after an amazing time of worship at church, Frank's parents joined us for Easter lunch. Caroline has learned how to wave and does so constantly. We love it! Caroline looked beautiful in her Easter dress. Although, she did have to learn how to crawl in a very interesting way to avoid getting caught up in her dress.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for my Easter Basket.

Yes, I love bows. I am a girl afterall.

Who needs a present; I love my eggs.

I do think this will look lovely on me.

Thank you Grandmama and Grandpapa for my sweet bunny.

Sitting with my awesome Dad. Mommy thinks he is so cute.

Look how much I have grown.

I love to wave. I wave at everything. The fan, the door, the cabinets, etc.

This is how I keep from stepping on my dress.

Here I am about to eat some yummy carrots for Easter. Love to all.

Caroline's Cabinet

2009-04-14T10:15:00.000-05:00

Caroline has a new favorite place to play. My friend Kate gave me the idea to let her have a cabinet that she is allowed to play in. I didn't know she would literally play in the cabinet.

New Blog Design

2009-04-13T21:37:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! I will have new pictures up soon, but in the meantime, I thought I might share my free way of making a header for my blog. I used Power Point. I scanned some cute paper to use as my background for the header and then I just built the header like I would build a power point slide. Once I figured out to use Power Point, things went pretty well. I have been trying to do something like this. Money is tight, so I can't afford to have someone else do it. Who knew I had a creative side. Anyway, love to everyone. I will be back soon.

What up yo!

2009-04-02T11:48:00.000-05:00

This is Caroline here. I just want to give a shout out to my Uncle James. This is his birthday month, so I just thought I would let him know what a great uncle he is and how much I love him.

Under Construction

2009-04-02T09:16:00.001-05:00

My blog is currently undergoing some changes. Sorry for the oh so boring background. We will be up and running with something fabulous! Love to you all!

Who am I?

2009-03-20T22:46:00.000-05:00

I am a child of God
I am a woman who struggles with what it means to be a woman of God
I have asked God where he was in the midst of my abuse
I have two children. My sweet Caroline and a child I will not get to meet this side of heaven
I have an amazing husband that I sometimes push away because I don't know how to deal with my pain
I have had women in my life who have cried a lot of tears for me
I have a mother that I love so much that when I think about the day she will be gone I can't breathe
I have spent the last three years dealing with anxiety and finally became brave enough to ask for help
I have begun to truly believe that what I do at home as a wife and mother is impacting the world
I am trying to believe that my education was not a waste of time even though I don't get to diagram sentences anymore
I don't like coffee at all but always think people who drink it are more sophisticated than I am
I have a degree in English, but I don't like to read or write
I have new friends that push me to be better and are teaching me more about what it means to love my husband well
I am struggling to lose weight after having a baby, and when I say struggling, I mean that I am not trying very hard
I desire to impact my church family and not just be the wife of the amazing worship leader

I just wanted to share what I have been thinking about lately.

Things Caroline has been doing

2009-03-17T10:58:00.000-05:00

Well Caroline is now nine months old. I can hardly believe she is growing so fast. Some of her most recent achievements include crawling everywhere and pulling up on everything. She has even started walking while holding onto furniture. She now has six teeth which she uses quite often to try to take a bite out of me. She is still very social and sweet-natured. I see tiny glimpses of the little girl she will become. Here are some of her more recent pictures. My best friend Amy is an amazing photographer, and she took these amazing pictures of Caroline. I am pretty sure they could win some sort of contest.

This one is my absolute favorite.

This one is for you B. She loves her bloomers.

My little diva!

So angelic

Not Caught Up

2009-03-09T09:25:00.000-05:00

I realize it has been so long since I have posted anything, so I thought I would give the blog world a run down of our lives in the last month or so. Caroline is now nine months old, and I will hopefully be posting her latest picture soon. Things here in Austin have been good. Frank and I are getting more involved in our church and meeting some great people which, as some of you know, has been hard for us this last year. Caroline continues to be the joy in our day. She is crawling everywhere and pulling up on everything. She is even starting to walk a little while holding on to furniture. All in all, things have been great for us. God is teaching me so much about what it means to be a worker at home not just a stay at home mom. I am learning what it means to find joy in my job at home, and the Lord has allowed me to see that I play an integral role in my family. Love to everyone. I will be back soon with new pictures.

Catching Up

2009-01-13T14:20:00.001-06:00

Well I apologize for my recent absence from the blogging world. The holidays have been busy this year, but we had a fabulous time seeing friends and family. Forgive the long post, but I am trying to catch up quickly. Enjoy all of the pictures. The most recent are at the top so you should scroll down to see them in order.

Caroline turned 7 months old on January 7th.

These are our dear friends Justin and Katie and their new little boy, Caden. He is beautiful and Caroline was so happy to meet her newest friend. He was born at 12:30 am on New Year's day.

Opening Christmas presents was just too much for our little girl.

Christmas day was so much fun. We spent Christmas in San Antonio, and we had a blast with my family. My sister was in town from New Orleans, but my brother couldn't make it this year. We missed you James!

Caroline got to meet Aunt Anna and Uncle Will for the first time this Christmas. They live in Ohio and aren't able to come down that often. Anna is one of my oldest and dearest friends and seeing her this year made me miss her so much. We love you guys.

This is the picture we are going to use for her Baby's First Christmas ornament. Isn't she precious.

Caroline and her Grandma.

Thank you Mom for hosting Christmas. We love you so much!

This was for our Christmas card this year. No you were not left off our list.

I ran out of time and didn't actually send any out.

This is just a cute picture in one of her many Christmas outfits.

Under the tree

Caroline's 6 Month picture with her bear.

Caroline's first Thanksgiving. She ate baby food for the first time.

This was Caroline's first trip to the zoo. This trip was so special to me. Two of my oldest and closest friends were able to go too. Ashley and Savannah are on the left, and Amy, Elena, and Evan are on the right. I love you girls so much!

Caroline and her pal Savannah

Caroline, Savannah, Elena, and Evan

5 Months Old

2008-11-19T11:43:00.000-06:00

Well, as usual, I am a little late in getting the monthly update on the blog. Caroline, as of November 7th, is five months old. It seems like she is growing so fast. She is beginning to sit up on her own (assisted by the boppy) which I am thrilled about. She laughs and smiles non-stop which is so much fun. She has such a sweet personality. She has started to notice if she drops a toy, and she is beginning to cry when I leave the room.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T19:46:00.000-05:00

While we don't celebrate Halloween as an actual holiday, we love the opportunity to dress up and have a great time. This year we had the most fun getting Caroline dressed up. She had two outfits to wear, one courtesy of a sale at the Carter's store and the other, a cute t-shirt from her wonderful Aunt Tara.

Yeah for Baby Entertainment

2008-11-01T19:41:00.000-05:00

Caroline loves her new jumper. Thank you Grandmama and Grandpapa!

Frank's Birthday

2008-11-01T19:28:00.000-05:00

October 26th was Frank's 31st birthday, so to celebrate, we went to his parents' house for dinner. I am so happy to be married to the most wonderful man. Frank is the most considerate, giving, selfless man I have ever met, and I am so grateful that God has given me such an amazing man as my husband. Oh, and Caroline adores her Daddy too.

Caroline's smile just melts our hearts.

At the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-27T16:36:00.000-05:00

Ok Mom, I am so over this!

Caroline's First Taste of Cereal

2008-10-27T16:15:00.000-05:00

Concentrating on the camera.

What is in my mouth?

Again, the camera.

This stuff is awesome!

And, I'm spent.

Caroline is now a cereal eating fool.

Meeting Aunt Tara, Uncle David, and Cousin Nathan for the first time

2008-10-27T15:58:00.000-05:00

Sadly, my sister Tara had to leave for California just four days before Caroline was born. Caroline got to meet her Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin on her 4 month birthday.

Caroline really likes her cousin Nathan. He makes her smile.

Caroline's first time to see her aunt was precious. She laughed for the first time.

She had to warm up to her Uncle David, but she likes him a lot now.

Nathan brought his Nintendo DS to the house and entertained Caroline with Guitar Hero. She has never been so amused by something while on her stomach.

Caroline is 4 Months Old

2008-10-27T15:29:00.000-05:00

I love how Caroline is hugging her teddy bear in this picture.

As of October 7th (so long ago I know), Caroline is 4 months old. This last month has been very fun. Caroline can roll over from back to front and from front to back. She has started lifting her head to up a lot more when she is on her stomach although she still doesn't like to be on her stomach. She has started sleeping closer to the 10-12 hour range at night which is awesome. At her four month doctor's visit, she weighed 13 pounds 13 ounces and was almost 25 inches long. She has started laughing and she sings to herself all the time. We have decided though that she will either be a very bad singer or the new dolphin wisperer at Sea World.

Great Grandmothers

2008-10-27T15:21:00.000-05:00

Caroline has been so blessed to know her Great Grandmothers. She doesn't have a picture with her third Great Grandmother yet, but we'll get one.

This is my mother's mother. She is an amazing woman and thanks to everyone's prayers is now cancer free and able to enjoy her new great grand daughter.

This is Frank's mother's mother. She got to meet Caroline for the first time about a month ago. She absolutely loved her. Caroline is her only great grandchild.

Caroline Turned Over

2008-10-27T11:47:00.000-05:00

She is much more pleasant on her back.

Here she is turned over for the first time.

Caroline's Big Girl Chair

2008-10-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Ashley!

2008-10-05T13:49:00.000-05:00

Ashley is another one of my friends that I have been through so many things with. We met the same time that I met Amy. Ashley and I were in the same grade in high school and went to school together. We too have experienced so many things together. We got our driver's licences in the same month and had to cart around all of our friends who were younger than us. Ashley could drive a standard which made her so cool. More than all of the memories that we share, Ashley is special to me because I have always admired her strength, her servant's spirit, and her willingness to try anything at least once. She is bold and adventurous, and I love that about her. I have never met anyone whose spiritual gift was more obvious than Ashley's. She is the most hospitable person, and she serves with grace and humility.

Ashley's husband Travis is in the Airforce and hopefully on his way home this week from his deployment. We are praying for a safe return.

Ashley, I hope that you know how special you are. I celebrate your life today. Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Amy!

2008-09-29T09:07:00.000-05:00

Today is my friend Amy's birthday, and I want to celebrate her. Amy and I have been through a lot together in the 11 years that we have been friends. God has allowed us to experience some of life's greatest thrills and sorrows. We met at a youth retreat and by the end of the weekend were both hopeful to begin a new friendship. Amy and I have been through so much together. She has watched me make stupid choices, and she has loved me through every moment. I haven't ever really watched her make stupid choices (she is very wise) but I have loved her though difficult times. Amy and I have celebrated ten of each others birthdays, first cars, first and only boyfriends, high school graduation, college graduation, engagement, marriage, and most recently children. I was so blessed to be at the hospital within hours of both Elena and Evan's births. Amy was also with me when Caroline was born. She shared in our joy and documented the whole event with her camera skills.

All in all, our friendship has blessed me beyond words. I don't know that there are very many people who have been blessed with a friendship like ours. Amy I love you, and I celebrate your life today. Happy Birthday!

Caroline is 3 Months Old

2008-09-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

Well as of September 7, Caroline is 3 months old. She is so adorable right now. She smiles when I get her out of her crib in the morning. She loves to smile when I change her diaper, as if to say how appreciative she is. She is sleeping 8 hours at night now, but she still naps all day. She hardly ever cries and if she does, it is so that I know she is ready for bed. She is oddly like me in her desire to sleep a lot. She is holding her head up really well now, and we think she is on the verge of discovering her feet. Her hands have been a toy for over a month now. She loves to talk to herself. In the morning, I hear her on the monitor having a conversation with her mobile. She also loves to talk to the bees that spin around the top of her swing. All in all, she is wonderful. We love her so much. These are some of her 3 month pictures with her teddy bear.

Our Little Animal

2008-09-09T12:46:00.000-05:00

Caroline loves her floor gym.

Thank you Aunt Anna and Uncle Will!

My Flower Child

2008-09-09T12:13:00.000-05:00

This is my attempt at Anne Geddes type pictures.

Enjoy!

Baby Weight and New Friends

2008-08-27T17:24:00.000-05:00

Ok, so this last Monday I started walking with two girls that I have met here in Austin. I met Misty and Dawna in our childbirth class. As we got to talking we found out that we all go to the same church. When Frank and I got settled after Caroline was born, we started going to a parenting Sunday school class at church. Little did we know, Misty and Dawna and their husbands would also be in that class. So to make a long story short, Misty, Dawna, and I have become friends and are all trying to get ourselves back in shape after having babies. On Monday, I walked 3 miles, and this morning, I walked 4 miles. As most of you may know, I hate to exercise. About half way through both each of these walks, I thought I was going to pass out. I made it though. I am hoping to walk three days a week. I will let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!

Caroline is 2 Months Old

2008-08-18T11:08:00.000-05:00

Well as of August 7th our little girl is two months old. Obviously, I am a little late in getting some pictures on the blog but better late than never. I think she is so beautiful, but then again, I am her mother.

Praise the Lord

2008-08-11T08:22:00.000-05:00

MaMa's surgery went very well. She was in the hospital overnight, but everything went just as it should. She is home now and feeling very well. Thank you so much to all of you who were praying for her.

Update on MaMa

2008-08-04T17:05:00.000-05:00

I wanted to write a quick update on my grandmother. MaMa is having surgery on Wednesday. The lumps in her breast are malignant, and she will have them removed. Please pray for a safe surgery and a speedy recovery. At this point, she is in high spirits. Thank you all for your prayers.

Woman and the Fork

2008-07-31T12:05:00.000-05:00

I love this story, and I hope you all do too!

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.
"What's that?" came the Pastor's reply.
"This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.
That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.
"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to se e me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork, the best is yet to come."
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

My Lois

2008-07-25T09:02:00.000-05:00

My grandmother (MaMa) is an incredible woman. I would describe her as being a good ol' Texas woman. She is a wonderful cook and an amazing advice giver. I titled this post My Lois because that was Timothy's grandmother's name in the Bible. Timothy's grandmother was a very wise woman, and that is what I think about my grandmother.

The reason I am writing this post is because my family found out this week that my grandmother has a malignant tumor in one of her breasts. We find out today if the mass can be removed with surgery or if other measures will need to be taken. My grandmother has been perfectly healthy her whole life, so in some ways this is a shock to us.

This is hard for me because I love her so much. She has always been available any time I needed her, and she is such a selfless, loving person. She is one of the people in my life that I think I have always just asumed would be there always. If you are reading this and you believe in the power of prayer and in the power of our God, please pray for her. We know our God is the Great Physician.

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

2008-07-14T10:28:00.001-05:00

Caroline had a 6 hour stretch one night this week and a 5 hour stretch last night. I am sure it is a fluke, but I have enjoyed it. She is growing so fast. It is crazy how much babies change in the first year of life.

Caroline is One Month Old

2008-07-09T11:41:00.000-05:00

On Monday, July 7, Caroline turned one month old. It is amazing how quickly she has changed. She is starting to move around a lot more in her crib. She now snugly fits into her newborn clothing, and she is sleeping a whopping 4 hours at a time overnight. She is such a beautiful baby. These are pictures of her one month photo session with her bear.

Family and Fireworks

2008-07-09T11:27:00.000-05:00

Four Generations

Well, Caroline experienced her first National holiday this last weekend. We took her to San Antonio for a little time with my family. We had a family get-together at my grandparents house and had a great time. I am bummed though because my brother and sister are both living in California now, and they were not there. Family gatherings just aren't the same without them.

Feeling grateful this morning

2008-06-30T10:37:00.000-05:00

So I know a lot of people have read or heard about the blog about Audrey Caroline. If you haven't just google her and you will find it. It is a blog written by a mother who knew from 20 weeks gestation that her daughter was not going to survive. I haven't read the whole thing but I know that she does not abort the baby; she let's God do as he will. The story is a tear jerker from the first few words especially for anyone who has lost a baby. As most of you know, Frank and I lost our first baby. We named it Sam, short for Samuel, the one that Hannah prayed for in the Old Testament. For me, that baby was the one for whom I prayed. Losing a baby is just plain hard. I can't imagine a worse feeling as a woman. So you may be thinking, "Why is Michelle feeling grateful this morning?" Well I am sitting here staring at Caroline with the realization that if we had not lost our first child, Caroline would not be with us. It is a strange feeling. I wouldn't trade either of my children for anything, but God chose for me which one I would care for. I am so grateful for the gift that God gave us in Caroline. Her middle name, Jeanette, means God is Gracious. He certainly is that, and I am so grateful for the blessings he has bestowed on us.

So I am tired

2008-06-27T12:14:00.001-05:00

I have loved being a new mom these past few weeks. Caroline will be 3 weeks old on Saturday. Crazy. She is a great baby and has settled into somewhat of a routine. Even though I feel totally blessed to have such an easy baby, I am still tired. It is all worth it though. Frank has been the best dad ever. He has become an expert diaper changer, and he is always willing to help me in whatever way that he can. I love getting to see this side of him. We will be posting new pictures soon. Hope everyone is doing well.

Introducing Our Daughter

2008-06-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

This is Caroline at 1 week
This is Caroline's first trip to church
This is Caroline's first bath

Caroline Jeanette Grafius was born on June 7, 2008 at 11:43pm. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces and was 20 inches long. We are totally smitten. She is a beautiful baby, and we are in awe of how much we love this child that we have only known a short while. We feel so blessed that the Lord would give us this wonderful gift. She has been a joy.

Happy Baby Day!!!

2008-06-07T06:15:00.000-05:00

This is Frank...

It's 6:20 a.m. and Michelle and I are about to walk out the door to go to the hospital! I can't believe this day is finally here! 6-7-8! I am so excited to welcome our daughter into the world! I don't have time to write much now... we're going to have a baby!!!

Havin' Us a Baby

2008-06-06T11:31:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. Baby Caroline is set to arrive tomorrow. We are going to be induced at 7am. Please keep us in your prayers. We can't wait to introduce her to everyone.

Moved In

2008-04-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

Well Frank and I are in Austin this week, and I am slowly getting our new home put in order. We will be back and forth between here and San Antonio over the next two months. We have decided to keep our doctor in SA and deliver Caroline there. We are excited about having our baby in a place where we know so many wonderful people. Soon I will be posting pictures of our new house.

New Beginnings

2008-03-28T20:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I have never done anything like a blog before which I am sure is what most people say when they post something for the first time. I am excited that we now have a forum to share our lives with the people we love. I am sure in time I will become more adept at posting pictures and other such interesting things, but for now, my words are all that I have.

Something I will share now is that I am so excited about becoming a parent. Being pregnant has been a whirlwind of emotions for me. As most people know, Frank and I lost our first baby, so getting pregnant again was something that brought about a lot of ambivalence. Even though we are sad to have lost a child, we are thrilled to now be eagerly anticipating Caroline's arrival. She is due to arrive on June 18th, and I can't wait to see what she looks like. Since this pregnancy was considered high risk in the beginning we have had the privilege of seeing Caroline 6 times on an ultrasound. At this point, she is absolutely beautiful.

Along with the excitement of being pregnant, Frank and I are also excited about our recent move to the Austin area. I grew up in San Antonio, so leaving my home town has been extremely difficult, but I know that God has something in store for us that will be to his glory. Frank has become a partner in his family's business, and I am starting my new role as a stay at home wife. I must admit that I am apprehensive about this new job of mine because I am one of the least domestic types I know. I know God can still use me in spite of my lack of wifely qualities. However, I will hopefully be starting my graduate work again this next year. As nerdy as it sounds, I can't wait to go back to school. Teaching for two years has made me realize that I enjoy being a student more than I enjoy being a teacher.

Ok, well that is all I have for now.