life is beautiful

kids

maximilian is 3 !!

kids

maximilian augustine!

we feel so bad, your third birthday is not at all what we wanted it to be for you! however, we were grateful that you were up for the little celebrating we did do.

after the new year we all took turns with some version of covid we are pretty sure. you were hit pretty hard. you were down all the way until the day before your birthday, then it was daddys turn. luckily we used door dash and amazon and your siblings were a huge help! we gave you a dinosaur birthday just like you wanted!

maximilian at t h r e e years old you can hold quite the conversation. your smile through those eyes melts hearts. you snack all day and even at night 😂 i pick my battles. you love the days we get the kids at school. you think their friends are yours. your favorite music is jacks playlist. you give the best hugs and kisses. you are forever our answered prayer! you’re a good boy max…the best!

hello 2022

kids

happy new year 2022! what a start to the year… we had so much fun for new years with dana and her kids…until poor samuel ended up sick, and one by one we fell afterwards. by the end of the month we were able to shake it off. here’s to a new year with a rough start.

we are excited for what this year will bring!

xxoo

merry christmas 2021

kids

the joy of christmas is like no other, especially through you kids. carolines first Christmas was so wonderful. the big kids had many plans with their cousins and many memories were made! time is a thief and these kids are growing so fast. it was so much fun to relish in their joy. this Christmas they had a gingerbread making contest. they all brought their talents that’s for sure.

christmas Mass was beautiful. mama and holly spent the first half in the over flow with our babies. love that we can share those times together. after mass we headed to Gramps and grannys for Christmas Eve! we loved having all the new editions to our family including erika and jonathons new puppy “June.”

on the second day of christmas, nana, albie and timmy came to celebrate at our house. nana made a yummy dinner and even brought dessert! we enjoyed a great visit and watched the kids play with all their new toys. caroline was cuddled by all. it was just like they sing, ‘the most wonderful time of the year!’

merry christmas 2021

xxoo

welcome to the faith …

kids

caroline agnes we are so blessed to have bryan and bailey as your god parents. we pray each day you are able to grow closer to christ and let his light shine through all your works!

xxoo

f i v e

kids

life with number five is pretty sweet. we are just enjoying the preparation for the christmas season and our newest addition to love on.

xxoo

caroline agnes {12.1.21}

birth story, birthday, caroline agnes, firsts, kids, pregnancy

oh my goodness, it was super early, the house was so clean and ready for you! we got out of the house at about 4:00 am. induction was set for 5:00 am. i tried my best to be very minimalist on packing, except for the twin foam pad. abbie warned me of memories of the hospital bed. that’s what friends are for. 😂

the initial check in was a little rough. they say no baby’s birth story is the same and boy are they right. the covid test was a new thing with this birth and it was the worst. it was so illogical, and this mama had enough of it. daddy will tell you when you are older. let’s just say delivery number five, mama was a little more vocal on all accounts.

the night nurse left and a new nurse came. as the pain started coming on stronger they warned us that anesthesia would take about 30 minutes or more to arrive, so i was so nervous of when to ask for them to come. we went ahead and called them in. this is always the most nerve racking for me. this time it seemed so weird that he warned that he may not get it right and would have to redo it. maybe they always do that but this time it seemed more apparent. well after the trial run we quickly realized he needed to redo it. my heart rate jumped very, very high and i had a very loud ringing in my ear. oh goodness it was scary. luckily the second time he did it, it worked. praise be to God.

there were other strange pains that had me questioning the epidural but they eventually upped my dose and it finally felt relaxing.

by the time i felt relaxed we were checking messages and daddy said “granny says 1:50 pm”. i laughed and said she will need to guess again it was about 1:45 at that moment. the nurse came in and checked the monitor and all of the sudden i felt the pressure. she called for the doctor and got everyone ready.

it was at that time, with each contraction we heard your heart rate stop. it was the worst feeling ever. they quickly gave me oxygen and told me to continue to breath it in to help you. i don’t ever remember taking that deep of breaths.

it felt like forever waiting for the doctor for delivery. we had probably five contractions where we had to listen to your heart rate slow to a stop and then quickly pick back up.

finally, our doctor arrived and we were able to deliver you quickly and safely. she had me stop at one point so she could cut the cord that was around your neck. you let out a big cry which was a huge relief to mama and daddy.

caroline agnes ❤️ arrived at 2:07 pm at 6 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches. our tiniest little love so far.

your delivery gave us such a scare, nothing else mattered once you were here. our stay at the hospital was different compared to your siblings. we didn’t get to have the visitors or the amazing photography but it was perfect in its own little way. the nurses we had after delivery were amazing. at one point the hearing technician as well as the day time nurse just kept saying “oh you are the perfect mom for this little girl.” ❤️ at that moment i was touched by how God hand picks each of us for what we need in our lives. He is so good. we sometimes struggle to place our trust in Him, yet if you step back you realize how much trust He places in you. you are fearfully and wonderfully made caroline agnes! we love you more than anything! you are so loved! your siblings didn’t get to meet you till you were home and they were so excited when they did.

happy birthday baby girl!!

xxoo

thankful for so much!

{photography}, celebrations, cousins, kids, weekend in pictures

thanksgiving 2021 was one to remember! we were blessed to have almost the whole family together. we also celebrated the news of the future addition to our family. the family needed a new excuse to party in the shed together.

congratulations to sweet bailey and her new fiancé!! we are so excited to have bryan join our family. cheers to a beautiful couple inside and out. excited for all the planning ahead!

xxoo

make room!

kids

we are ready for sister! even though she will end up in mama and daddys room for a few months plus… we decorated a room for the sisters…

excited to see how many memories you will make in this room together!

xxoo

samuel fulton is nine!

celebrations, kids, samuel

another one growing too fast! dude you are nine!! how did that happen?!

samuel, you have the biggest heart and sometimes the deepest thoughts. you recently told us one of your best friends could never be replaced, “he’s one of a kind” you said. you still request ketchup for most of our meals. you choose pb and j over anything else most of the time, unless it’s chicken nuggets. you amaze me with your comprehension skills when reading through your history lessons. you love creating competitions for you and your cousins next get together. you l o v e creating things from anything. if there a piece of anything laying around you quickly ask… ” can i have it? ” with a grin. you l o v e so hard and you are such a good person to ask for prayers from. you will stick to your word and always keep that person in prayer. it really is a beautiful gift you give. we are so incredibly blessed to be your parents. happy birthday samuel fulton. you, sweet boy, are one of a kind.

xxoo

trick or treat 2021

kids

trick or treat….. you kids got way too much candy!! this year yall hit the streets of gramps and grannys neighborhood so you could ride on a golf cart with joshua. what a night we had ned forester and jerry senderson as well as a beautiful ballerina and a firefighter in case things got crazy! we had a great visit and enjoyed that monday off to celebrate all saints day 🙂

we were able to celebrate all saints day at school on thursday unfortunately i only got the trial run of those costumes in pictures. it was a beautiful day to be blessed carlo accutis, venerable bishop sheen and marys mother, st. anne. all you holy men and women pray for us!