Easter

Well this Easter was not full of traditions! No Easter basket, no egg dying, and no Easter bunny! I know I know I am a horrible mother! However we have unknowingly started a new Dunks family tradition! Last year we served at church on Easter and our little family was sooooo transformed! This year was no different! I had to work but Jay was up at the church serving all day and I had the blessing of serving this evening after work! We feel so incredibly blessed to be a small part of the change that happened in people's lives today! I do believe that we will continue this tradition. There may not be baskets and bunnies but my girls will know what is means to serve just as Christ has served us! They will know that by serving others they are showing Christ's love to a world that is hurting! 

 Now one tradition we will keep for sure is a new Easter outfit! We wear jeans and a t-shirt to church every week so Saturday it was so nice to wear "real" clothes! I even threw on some heels not the usual Tom's!!

One of the universities had an egg hunt last weekend. So we took Lindsey and she had a blast! Her daddy loved all the candy inside me not so much!!! So yes my girls will have fun but the bunny and the baskets will not be our main focus! We will choose to be weird!!!

Nothing fancy

I feel as though it is time for a little update on the happenings in our little piece of heaven! Nothing major just happenings!

We got a cute little cat named Sunny. Right after we had her de-clawed and spayed she ran away! So now I am out tons of money and have a broken hearted 2 year old! Well that was a major fail!!!! 

Jay had PRK to fix his vision! Let me just say it was not fun! I had to drive everywhere for 7 days. Lets just say Jay is not a fan of my excellent driving skills! Then, the poor guy felt good except his eyes felt like they were on fire so he was a little grumpy! On the upside he had to wear sunglasses all the time so people thought he was stoned!!

Seriously like two months after the PRK, Jay got his wisdom teeth removed! He was a trooper with that one! He did so good and put on a good show right after his surgery! He really is a good patient! 

My little diva's personality is really beginning to shine through! She is bossy, opinionated, compassionate, hard headed, independent, out going. . . pretty much me! She looks like her daddy and acts like me! That worries me! O and she loves her baby sister! She talks to my belly saying "hi Ella" or she will touch my belly and think she is touching Ella! She tells everyone that her baby sister's name is Ella-Clair! I love that she already loves her!

Well that is the past few months is a nutshell! 

Its a baby

Well we had our big Ultrasound! We found out right away that we are having another precious little girl! Her name will be Ella-Clair!!!! She is named after my Memaw and my aunt Clair! These are two women that I love very much! My summer memories are filled with fun times at the farm with my Memaw and Big John. I had some of my best summers with them! Plus there is nothing I love more than going home and going to eat at the Crumpet Tea Room with my Memaw! Her full name is Jo Ella so I took the best part of her name! Jo Ella is so sweet and quiet but when she talks she is freakin' hilarious! She is so quick witted! Plus she is fun to people watch with!!! My aunt Clair is the reason I became a nurse! From her I received the most honest and realistic view of nursing and I still wanted to do it! Not to mention she has struggles with her hearing for unknown reasons and she does not let that get in her way! She is one of the most out going fun person I know and not to mention one of the best seamstresses I know! I am so excited that she agreed to make Ella's bedding! One thing I love about my Aunt Clair is her spiritual gift of hospitality! You will be welcomed into her home at all times with a good drink and even better food! You are never made to feel rushed or not welcomed plus she can throw one heck of a party! I love it when my family tells me I am being like my aunt! Every time I have a party I always think about how Clair would do it!

Ella-Clair has a lot to live up to! I want her to be quick witted and loving like her Memaw and persevere with grace and hospitable like her Aunt Clair! I can not wait to meet this little girl and hold her in my arms! 20 more weeks to go!!!!!

Mistakes into Miracles

This past Sunday during church there was a quote that pierced my heart, God can turn your mistakes into miracles!!!! How amazing and profound is that statement! No matter how small or large your mistakes God can use them! God can take the life altering, life shattering, hurts to the core mistakes and can pen the most beautiful story that was ever written! I feel as though my life is living proof! I have not always made the wisest of choices that paved my past with roses and candy hearts, but I have come to a point where it finally clicked that Jesus loved me no matter how nasty I looked on the inside! Take a look at all the major characters in the Bible they were so screwed up with pasts that would intimidate anyone! David slept with a married woman and then killed off her husband, Paul killed Christians, Matthew was a tax collector (who doesn't hate taxes) all these men were loved and accepted by the creator of the universe and we are no different! So what, we make mistakes, we royally screw up our lives but Jesus asks us to run to His arms and find solace, comfort, and forgiveness! So why do we fight it run to the One that is waiting to comfort us and accept His love and allow Him to turn your mistakes into miracles!!!!

Pretty Cool!

For the past few weeks I have been feeling little flutters from baby poppyseed! They have been so sweet and a joy! Last night I got to feel for the first time real kicks!! 4 in a row that just made me giggle! With Lindsey and this baby feeling the little miracle move around is the best! Today was even BETTER!!! Lindsey had fallen asleep on me on the couch and as I laid there praising God that this baby was napping I felt baby poppyseed kick! For the first time it struck me that I am the mom of two precious babies and I am so thankful! It was such a precious moment to be holding both my babies at the same time and feel them! I could do nothing but smile and praise God! God has transformed my life in so many ways, how can I not smile and say thank you!!!

16 weeks!!

I write all the time about the negatives of pregnancy I thought today I could write about the positives! I am trying really hard to not be so negative about being pregnant! Jay and I prayed so hard for this little gift and the words I say about it need to reflect how excited we are that God chose us to raise this little poppyseed! So here is a list:

• people are extra nice to you. No more lifting, moving, straining for ANYTHING!!
• My momma comes and does my laundry
• I get to be irrational and it is really ok! 
• I get to wear stretchy pants 
• People offer to watch Lindsey so I can take a nap!
• Jay is so protective of me. It really is a major turn on to be honest!
• Hearing a heartbeat is phenomenal and then seeing the baby is even better
• I have an excuse why my house is not clean and the laundry is piled up!
• I now have a good excuse to redo Lindsey's room
• I get to feel the baby move around (best yet)
• I get to hack my parents off by our name choices! 
• I am guaranteed 3 meals a day and 2 snacks! The baby makes me sick if i don't eat so I obey!
• I get gain 30, 40, 50 or so extra pounds and can blame it all on the baby!!!! 
• Best part I get to hold a baby in 5 long months!!!!!!

Pregnancy and I may not be best of friends but the end reward is so worth it! As I sit here right now I am watching my 2 year old jump and dance and play in the bath so happy! She makes my heart smile! Had I had my way this perfect angel would have never happened! I never wanted kids but knowing what I know now my life would have royally sucked with out her! I can not wait for poppy seed to get here so my life can get that much better!

Insert something witty here. . . .

Today is a list kinda day with pics to break it up. . .

• I am done having a headache! I think I will FINALLY call the Chiropractor! I don't like going to the doctor or dentist!
• I want to plant a little garden! What am I thinking being pregnant and soon a new mom harvesting food!
• I want to cloth diaper this baby and have gotten absolutely no support from anyone! They all tell me I am crazy!  

• I love these two! 
• Jay is gone and I don't sleep well with out him!
• I just had one of the most amazing weekends in AR thanks to Dave and Lisa Franks! They spoiled me soooo much! Plus they love Lindsey as much as I do! 
• If you love my baby I automatically love you! If you are even a tad mean to my baby I wanna meet you in a dark ally! 

• I am watching "The Talk" and let me tell ya it sucks! 
• I tried Bible Study Fellowship and have decided that it is not for me! The lessons are great but the rest is not my cup of tea.
• I am starting a new bible study at my church and I am super excited! 

• Lindsey is so proud of her painted toes! 
• She has the most jacked up feet and I love them! I hope they stay like that! They are my favorite part of her!
• I am discovering my purpose and I am soooo excited! Who I am now is not who I thought I would be 10 years ago! 
• I am so much better than I dreamed I could be! 

• My sweet friend Kristina made this shirt for Lindsey! I can not wait to find out what we are having so she can make a matching onesie! Check out her stuff and buy from her like crazy! She is so incredibly talented! 
• I am so ready for this baby to get here! I just want to hold a little one for hours and hours and hours! 
• This time around will be sweeter 'cause I will not be so anal! 
• If we have a little boy I pray that he looks just like his daddy! Jay was so cute as a little boy and even now he is not too hard on the eyes!
• My brain is done. . . . Love ya'll