A New Year A New Me

It’s a new year and a new me!  Just like hundred million other people one of my resolutions is to loss weight, which would be amazing after having a baby BUT my main focus this year will be to keep up with my blog post.  I hope to blog more about my new family and about my catholic faith that you can find here.

I was truly blessed last year with a new baby girl named Eliana.  Having a child is the most amazing experience I have ever had.  Even though my labor was pretty insane…cough cough…33 hours, C-section and then infection, I wouldn’t take it back for anything.  She has truly brought the true meaning of love out in me! 

"My God has answered me." (the meaning of Eliana’s name) has been nothing but a delight!  She smiles ALL the time!  Absolutely a joy to be with and everyone loves her!  So, to get started with the year please enjoy my photos of our sweet baby girl and a cute little video 

Starting to look like Momma ;)

Her night time story

She was so little here!  They grow so fast

She loves baths! 

Mommy and Daddy with Eliana on Thanksgiving

Starting early!  I hope she can sing!

Stationery card

She's Here Birth Announcement

Shutterfly has cute birth announcements and cards for Easter.

View the entire collection of cards.

Eliana's Godparents

I remember when me and Damian sat at dinner one night.  We starting talking about who we thought God wanted us to ask to be Eliana's Godparents.  A couple of days went by and we both thought and prayed about it until we felt like God was speaking to us.  We finally decided to ask my oldest brother, Nick and sister in law, Veronica.  

Their family

Nick and Veronica

Damian thinks very highly of Nick.  He always would say how he looks up to him because of what he had become.  My brother takes after my father, a very HARD WORKING man!  He never gives up and always does what he can for his family.  He has come a very long way and I am so proud of him.  

I am in awe of my sister-in-law, Veronica.  She has grown into our family and fits right in.  She shines and I always believed that it was because her faith grew in God.  Just to hear the way she speaks and sends her prayers has made a difference in my life.  I look up to her knowing that she has given birth to 3 beautiful children!  I love all of them! 

We are super excited to have Eliana meet her Godparents.  We know that they will help her grow in faith and be there for anything that she ever needs.

We wanted to do something different and had planned to order a book to ask them. The company messed up my order and I only got pictures.  :( it was still cute!   So check out what Eliana gave her Godparents.

and they said....YES! 

Closing prayer today:

Loving God, thank you for the gift of Eliana and for Nick and Veronica who has chosen to guide and care for her. Bless these three as they grow together in Your love. Guide Nick and Veronica to teach, mentor, comfort, and strengthen Eliana to grow up healthy, kind, and to the fullest potential. May the light of Your love shine in their relationship, now and forever. Amen.

Our Beautiful Pictures

At week 30 my co-worker/friend gave us an amazing gift of shooting our maternity pictures!  They came out great!

Her name is Brittney Melton and she also went to the same University as I did (UMHB)  You can find Brittney Here and you can find her blog post about us Here.  She did an amazing job, so if you need anyone to take pictures for you, contact Brittney.

We had a great time taking picture, but it got really hot! Of course I have to be pregnant durning the hottest summer ever.  Right now it's been 108! HOT!  Check out some of our favorites

Not to sure what I was laughing about but I guess it was funny

This was one of the first pictures before it got too hot :) 

Love this one!

It's been a long time....

My life has been all kinds of crazy but in a good way.  I have been distant from my blog but don't think I haven't forgot about it.  I think about all the new things that I can write about but never can get the time to rest and just sit down and write.  

With that said...Eliana should be here (we hope) by her due date of the 18th!!!  That means in two weeks I will have a new sweet baby girl that will change my life forever.  I am so deeply in love with her and can't wait to see what she looks like.  We did get a sneak peak of her at her 32 week and of course she has her daddy's nose and lips haha!  The nurses couldn't believe how perfect her lips look.  

Eliana at 32 weeks

She is already perfect to me!  I am now 38 weeks and only have two more weeks to go (I hope) She will come when she is ready.  She weights 6 lbs already and is very active.  She is making it very hard for me to walk :) 

So I will keep this one short because I will have more post probably today and more throughout the week to catch everyone up. 

Today's ending prayer 

Dearest Mary, I look to you now for the help of your maternal love. You understand my trials as an expectant mother. You bore Jesus in your womb. You know the doubts and anxieties that beset me; you know the bodily suffering I endure. Like you, may I turn all these sorrows into joy. You overcame anxiety by a loving trust in God; you overcame doubt by gentle resignation to His will.
Your motherhood lifted your mind above earth and kept it close to God.
So speak to Jesus now with me, beloved Mother, as I seek prayerfully to learn to bear the trials of motherhood with joy.
Mother of Perpetual Help, Pray for me!

http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/pregnant.htm

One word....WOW

Please take the time to watch this video.  It's very powerful and shows how amazing God  is.

Blessings from me and Eliana!

Blessing!

I know I know! I have a little quiet. Work has been busy and by the time I get home I am super tired. We had our appointment on the 1st and we got to see Eliana in 3D. The nurse said that she is a mover. Everything looked great and she is growing healthier and healthier every day. I can’t tell you how much I love the Woman’s Center. When I started the sonogram the nurse started the radio and it was Christian music. Something so little made the experience so much more special because I was about to see my baby girl while listening to some Christian music. We didn’t get to get the best pictures of her face because she was covered in a lot of fluid, but we did see her SMILE! She is going to be a very happy, blessed child from God! A beautiful little Princess! Just like her mother! :) During the sonogram Eliana was trying to suck her thumb. It was so cute! I can already tell that she is going to love taking picture (like her Momma) because at the end of the sonogram she decided to open up her hand and it looked like see was waving bye. I won’t ever forget it. These are some of the memories that I will start to collect along with the many more to come.

Another exciting that that happen was that Damian was able to feel Eliana for the first time two weeks ago. You could see his face light up when he did.

Since my little girl is a Princess because her father is the King of Kings I found this oh so cute beanie for her on Esty. I can’t wait to get it for her. Take a look at it and let me know what you think.

The weekend of my doctor’s appointment I was able to travel to Houston for my God’s sons 1st birthday party. I can’t believe he is one already. Time fly’s by! He just started walking and just loves to walk all over the place. He loves being outside as well and loves his dogs! He is truly a beautiful blessing from God. I pray that God will guide me in choosing the right God Parents for Eliana. I hope that I have been for Mason bug. So keep me in your prayers that I may keep my ears, eyes, and heart open for God’s answer for the perfect God Parents for Eliana! 

Mason trying to get to the candy! 

I am pretty sure that is twice the size as Mason

This picture reminds me of his Daddy at one of his birthdays.  I have to find the picture and post it on here.

Such a cutie! 

On an ending note I would like to pray for Thanks! We sometimes forget to give thanks for God for his wonderful blessings and the blessings that we may not understand. We are truly blessed to have Eliana adventure in our lives but we are also truly blessed for the great things that Damian has been given the past couple of weeks. He has been living in Temple and now has moved to Austin. He has also been blessed with a job here in Austin starting this coming week. Please keep him in your prayers and let us remember to give thanks for Gods wonderful blessings.

In Gratitude

Thank you, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness. Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank you for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us.

From The Catholic Prayer Book, compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley.