Friday, December 17, 2010

Rewind...Thanksgiving

Scott and I realized we aren't quite sure when the last time we spent Thanksgiving with family was...possibly the beginning of our college careers? 6-7 years ago. Not sure! Nonetheless, it's been a while.

The time spent in Sacramento was precious. HIGHLIGHTS: OUR NEPHEWS! Eli and Brody are both at ages where they do ALL the entertaining. And entertaining it is! Both such different personalities, but there personalities play off of each other SO well. Dynamic Duo.

Thanksgiving day consisted of waking up to the scrumptious smell of Joni's homemade cinnamon rolls. Megan, Drew and Brody coming over to watch the Macy's Day Parade (this is a MUST on thanksgiving day, such a fun tradition I grew up with that I still LOVE <3) After the parade, or close to the end, Scott and I drove to my parents house to help cook the Thanksgiving meal that both sides of our family would be apart of. I made the sweet potato souffle...and ate LOTS of crab lorenz (a Grandma Joanie tradition, i sure do miss her). A few games of cards, munching here and there and before we knew the whole gang was there ready to chow down!











Having all the people, that help make our worlds turn, in one place at one time...is always magical. I cherish these moments captured. Thankful for our families. Blessed by the time we were able to come out (Thanks Phil!) LOVE YOU ALL. Until next time

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

the verdict is in

Pregnancy is hard...and I'm not even the one who's carrying a baby.

Ashley and I just realized that we (she) hasn't even blogged about being pregnant yet. Oh well. Read a book about someone elses pregnancy.

Last night, I drove with Ashley to go to one of her pitching lessons. I don't usually go, but we had business to cover. We HAD to nail down the names of this baby. So that's what we did. We talked, we dreamed and reminisced about important people in our lives who we would name our child after.

The names were set. We arrived at her lesson which was at an indoor pitching facility...and by that, I mean old warehouse. There was a dirty mattress in the corner of this warehouse...and self-storage spaces. I tried to imagine how many people could have been held hostage and tortured as Ashley critiqued her pitcher. I imagine at least 9...hopefully, less are actually there, though.

Anyways--

This morning was our big day! Our morning started at 8am as we drove over to grab some McDonald's. I take any chance I get to go to McDonald's...I love that place. It was Ashley's suggestion. She was craving it...she never wants McDonald's. I love pregnancy cravings.

So we grabbed our food and sat down in the booth. We had heard that drinking a little bit of caffeine before the ultrasound would help with baby movement. Ashley has steered clear of caffeine during the pregnancy, so her medium Dr. Pepper hit the spot.

We drove over to the ObGyn and waited. The lady behind the desk was both the oldest and slowest woman ever. Nothing wrong about that. Good for her, a working independent woman, but we were in a rush...so I was irritated.

Finally--the nurse called us back and walked us to a room...Her name was Amy. Amy turned the machines on and we were in business. I sat down next to Ashley and watched our child flash onto the flat screen television in front of us. Incredible.


It looked like a human.

It looked like a baby.

It looked like our baby.

And holy cow...this kid was bouncing all over the place! (The caffeine might have been a little much. Possible caffeine overdose.)

But serious somersaults, flips and turns were happening in front of our eyes...everything. Literally, all over the place. With legs closed.

We saw the face.

We saw the hands.

We saw both feet...5 toes each!

We saw a healthy beating heart.

We saw everything that made up our child. Well, almost everything.

Legs. still. closed.


Amy said that she would have to take a few measurements, and then she would go back to trying to determine the gender.

So she started measuring...everything.

We watched as different parts of our child flashed on the screen. It was amazing. Surreal. Powerful.

With the baby bouncing around so much it was tough to take the measurements. But Amy decided to try to sneak another peak at the "goods".

And again...Legs closed and tucked up underneath.

Amy had a hunch. But didn't want to say just yet.

We started to get a little concerned that maybe today we wouldn't be able to find out if we would be having a boy or a girl. Both of us, praying in our heads. Hoping for the best.

She sent Ashley to use the restroom in order to take the final measurement. Ashley returned and Amy started the machines up again.

Finally. A clear shot.

A perfect look at our perfect baby.

The verdict was in. 100% confirmation.


The weight is right on track.

The length is right on track.

Everything about the development is right on track.

Our baby GIRL is right on track.


Tennley Joan Stevenson is right on track.

Healthy, beautiful and growing.

(Joan is Ashley's grandma's name who passed away in NOV 2003)


I'm going to be a dad.

I'm going to have a baby girl.

A Daughter.

We're ecstatic. In awe. Blessed.

And cannot wait to meet her.


I'm not scared of girls. But I might be scared of daughters.

I have my work cut out for me.

Fathers and daughters have a special relationship.

I pray that I can be the father to her that she needs. Show her how she should be treated. Show her how she needs to be loved. I pray I can show her who Jesus is and who He can be to her in her own life. And I pray that she will never ever doubt the love that I have for her and her mom.

I am ready though. I really am. My wife is incredible. She's sweet. She's godly. She's amazing. And I can only bet that this other girl in my life will be just as incredible and sweet.

I cannot express how much I already love this little girl. It's amazing to say the least. I don't know how we could ever be the same.

Tennley Joan--already changing lives.



(TENNLEY AT 7 WEEKS)





(TENNLEY TODAY, AT 18 WEEKS)

Thursday, August 19, 2010

2am thoughts and musings

i have never known whether i am a "night person" or "morning person". To put it simply, i like my sleep. i don't want to wake up early, and to be honest, i have no problem going to bed early either.
But tonight i am a night-owl. or insomniac...i'm still trying to decipher the two.

it's been a while since our last blog. new things are happening. not even sure of where to begin.
but it's 2:33am EST. and i am wired. i know i'll be an angry grouch tomorrow...but i'm prepared for that. not sure if others are, but that's how the cookie crumbles.

lots of questions rolling around in my head tonight. "does anyone still read this?" is one.
don't know. don't care. it's too late for that.

but how about an update on our lives on the East Coast. I wish i could use a "middle-east" joke on here like on Anchorman, but i openly know very little about the geography over here.

ashley accidentally locked me out of the house for 2 hours while she had coffee with a friend. i was angry at first...angry at her, but then, realizing it was an accident, i became angry at the situation. it was about 90 degrees outside and humid. i was in jeans and a tshirt. bored. i took a nap on the deck. watched the muted tv through the window. and tried to spit on a lizard.

ashley finally came home and let me in.

we then went out to chick-fil-a for dinner. i'm only a fan of chick-fil-a when i haven't had it for a while...i get "over" that place quickly. but tonight it was refreshing.

as we shuffled into our booth in the almost empty restaurant, ashley smiled and said, "it's been a long time since we've done this". we used to visit chick-fil-a quite often in our early dallas days...but the chicken-novelty rubbed off. and they raised their prices.

we sat across from each other, separated by diet coke and sprite cups, two sandwiches, some fries and sixty-four used ketchup wrappers scattered on the table. just talking about random things. random life-change.

we talked about this move. this lifestage. this step of faith. this move to a new state, even further away from anyone we know or anything we've ever known.

to say the least, we are content. i never know if 'content' is a good 'Christian' term to use. i guess it's a mindset, and not an action plan. does that make sense?

we love our lives here.
yes, it's hard being away from 'blood-family'. but we've acquired new family here. a family away from family. and we feel blessed.

God has shown us over and over again that we are in the right spot. we're scared at times. sometimes we're even sad that we're so far away from "home"...but we're in our new home now. assured that we're called to be here. meant to be here. for a reason. for a purpose.

...and we're content in this. ecstatic at what God is doing. and humbled that we get to be a part. and incredibly in love with this place. these people.

sometimes i ramble. blame the 2 gallons of strawberry-lemonade crystal light that i've consumed in the past 36 hours. i'm addicted.

sometimes when i write i remember my appreciation for things...for people.
as ashley sleeps, i can't help but be in awe of this woman i get to live life with.
i love that woman. i love my best friend. i love my wife. i love ashley ann.
i don't say that near enough. to her, or anyone.

i have no desire to proof read this. so i rely on my spell check.
and i'm not going to apologize for the lower case i's.

this is what you get for 2:33-2:58am.
random, yes. genuine, absolutely.

it's our life.
and we're in it together. forever.

3am brings music videos on mtv.
they're starting it off with jennifer lopez "waiting for tonight"...it's such an old video, she's not JLo yet.







Tuesday, June 15, 2010

week of firsts

My apologies to our dedicated blog readers for the 6-month gap between posts...not that i know of any hopelessly devoted blog readers, but sometimes things surprise me.

My hope is that whoever is reading this, already knows the backstory that takes us to where we are today, but i know there is the occasional creeper, and i get that...to each his own. But if you don't know the backstory and you're dying to know--i'd be happy to fill you in.

So today is June 15, 2010. Ashley and I have been on the "East Coast" for a total 80 hours. I sit on our couch, in our new home, while Ashley and the dogs sleep...thinking about this pilgrimage.

I just sat down from rummaging through cabinets for something to eat to watch the 1 channel we get on our digital converter box...catching up on the latest happenings in the gulf and thought i would chronicle the latest news in our own lives.

So...we are here...the culmination of 4 months of conversation and preparation.
Moved.
Unpacked.
Unsettled...still living amongst the clutter, but slowly making this house our new home.

I find it hard to believe that less than 5 months ago, we were living in Dallas.
Settled.
Content.
Home...completely oblivious to what was about to take place.

But here we are. In, what seems like, a new world.

I still can't comprehend what's really going on.
So many different emotions running through my body.
I am excited for this new beginning...but terrified because it's just that: a new beginning.

Just 3-years-ago, Ashley and I were starting our ministry together in Plano, Texas. Doing new things, experiencing a new world and meeting new people. And this week, we begin that all over again.

This week is a week of firsts:
Tomorrow is my first day in the office.
Friday is our first youth event.
Sunday is our first official Sunday.
This is the beginning of this journey.

I'm ready. We are ready.
We have a ball of fear sitting in the pit of our stomachs, but the peace that we have surrounding this entire event makes everything alright.

3 years ago it was so easy to fall in love with the students that came into our lives.
And that love is still there.

And now we get that opportunity again...to fall in love all over with another group of students. A chance to be impacted by a group of jr. high and high school students and to be allowed into their lives. How we were blessed with an opportunity like this, i have no idea.

I'm thankful for this opportunity.
I'm thankful for this journey.
and honestly, I'm terrified...but incredibly ready to dive in.

We want our lives be used for something that matters.
Fear is part of that process.
Nervousness is part of that process.
...but this is our calling.

And we're in this together...with God preparing the way, we are ready to make it happen.





Wednesday, December 23, 2009

3 MORE DAYS UNTIL I GET TO SEE THESE GUYS!!!!!!

3 DAYS
'TIL I GET TO SEE MY NEPHEWS!
PROUD AUNTIE:
(of my nephews, not Santa!)

ELI STEVENSON - going on 8 months
BRODY SIMPSON- going on 11 months


These two bring me so much JOY!
Even though I'm not with them much, the pictures and the stories that their mommies send me TRULY make my day every time!
I can't help but smile when I think or hear of them.
I cannot wait to spend 5 WHOLE days with them.

LOVE YOU TWO SO MUCH <3
See you guys in Denver
-Auntie Ashley

Christmas time is here!

This year Scott has had the opportunity to help plan the Wesleyan Youth Convention for our region which will take place in Denver on the 28th of December, THIS has been a HUGE BLESSING as this stuff is RIGHT up Scott's alley... he LOVES it. BUT because of this and the time off of work I need to take off to be apart, we are unable to go home (Sacramento) for Christmas. This will officially be the FIRST year I've been away from my parents over Christmas...makes me FEEL a little more grown up, but not ready to accept it :). It is REALLY hard to not be around family during this time. Especially when they all get together,
and the BABY NEPHEWS are doing all their new tricks!
There truly is no place like home for the holidays!
SOoOoOo, to make me feel more at home, I attempted (with Scott's help) to make my mom's "family" cookies. Even though they didn't turn out as good as mom's, or grandma's, or even great grandma's... they did, however, give me a little piece of home :) not to mention I had a blast making them. I'm not sure I can say the same for Scott, but he was a good sport.
I love you honey!


please note: that is hair dye on my left shoulder. classy.
puzzle work!
my cookie decorating ELF

Peanut butter balls- Scott made these and did a wonderful job :)


Christmas tree time! I am a HUGE fan of REAL trees...
but for the past few years (because of traveling) we've settled for a fake one.
It does the job.

This year we started a new tradition in the Stevenson home... We've made it a point, when we travel, to always get an ornament as our "souvenir". Over the 2.5 years that we have been married we've acquired quite the collection, so we decided that this year we wouldn't just put them on our tree, instead we would share our favorite memory from that trip or place and then we'd hang it on the tree. IT WAS A SUCCESS! We revisited some wonderful memories and it was a great refresher of each trip, in hopes that we never forget. We are so blessed!
This is a tradition that we will continue to do for many years to come!
The finished product!
So thankful as I am reminded of the TRUE meaning of the season...
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.”
ISAIAH 9:6
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Thanksgiving: Montana style...

Scott and I FINALLY made it happen! We finally made it to Montana to visit our DEAR friends, the Bybee's, over Thanksgiving. Scott and I met Annie and Terry at College in Oklahoma. To sum up our friendship, us girls are constantly trying to keep the boys out of trouble, they tend to bring the best out of each other when they are togther. But as crazy as they are they always make us laugh. Aside from goofing off, we've been there for each others engagements, apart of each others weddings and continue to cherish their friendship even though it is a "long distance" relationship. In all honesty, the challenge of staying in touch is always present, but the wonderful thing about them is that no matter how long it has been since the last time we've all been together, we pick up right where we left off!
It was such a blessing to visit with them, watch them PARENT their two beautiful kids,
LAUGH hysterically, play games, and just catch up on life.
Here are just a few of the fun memories we made....
Annie and I getting ready to head out the doorTerry and Hadley
(Not sure why, but I didn't get any pictures of their kids. SAD. They also have an 8 month old Jude...BOTH OF WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE)
While we were in town Annie and Terry insisted they take us to their favorite restaurant's in Billings...Fancy Shmancy Restaurant #1....it was great!


Yes, this is what they do!

Pictionary...
SEE ABOVE: THIS IS NEVER A GOOD SIGN FOLKS!

Good ol' pictionary was not good enough...on to their "new" made up game
..."BELLY ART" PICTIONARY.
VERY CREATATIVE.

I love this picture.
It's not often he laughs THIS hard...had to document it :)

Annie and Terry love weekend get-a-ways....
so they took us to one of their favorite places.
A cabin in BIG SKY!

The landscape was BREATH taking...and the cabin was so nice!

This was our room

Hanging out by the fire

On to playing more games....a good 50% of our time in Montana was spent playing
Hide-and-go-seek (NO, not a type-o)
Scott and Terry could play this game ALL. DAY. LONG. ALL. YEAR. LONG.
We also played NERDS while drinking coffee and listening to Pandora
...even thought I am awful at this game I throughouly enjoy these times we shared!

BIG SKY TOWN...this is were I got my ornament
(I collect ornaments from every place we visit)

Enjoying our view from our balcony

Oh Brother!

And he is down!
This is what happens when City Folk try to walk on ice...lol!

Sledding...with a babies sled. not ours. Fantastic.

Hmm...we were the only people in this restaurant.
i wonder why...
Calamari...Reason # 1
Terry's face tells all!
....reason # 2 waitress would not stop talking about Alaska (lol)
reason # 3 the boys ate none of their food. Picky Picky!
Playing the number game

Snowy day at the cabin...our last day in Big Sky.


It was a wonderful trip, one we will always remember.
Loved being in Montana and loved being with our friends.