Category Archives: Family

Family, Personal

Easton James Sweatt

Hey friends! So I have been MIA from the blog for a while now and I am excited to say that I am back and excited for what’s to come! I wanted to take a minute and briefly (or not so briefly) give a little update as to explain the radio silence! 😉

You know what, I think I’ll just show you a picture. They’re worth a thousand words, right?! 🙂

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THERE. THAT IS WHY I HAVE NEGLECTED YOU, Internet. I’ll admit I do play favorites when it comes to people that I GROW. Ha! Friends, I am so ecstatic to introduce to you for the first time, my second son, EASTON JAMES. Born on July 30, 2015 at 9:29…Go ahead, take a few minutes and let his sweet face make you feel all warm and fuzzy…I’ll wait. 🙂

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Now a little back story for this precious, prayed over, and fought for babe. Back in April when I was 26 weeks, I had some preterm labor symptoms and had a short hospital visit and was told to you know, take it easy (with a 2 year old). I did as  I was instructed and trucked along miserably sick and hurting, contractions remaining steadfast. Fast forward and at 33 weeks I was not expected to make it to 36 weeks, a crucial milestone in pregnancy. So ‘bedrest’ it was! Well, as much as you can do with a toddler. 😉 As soon as I left the doctors that day we called in our beloved prayer warriors. Everywhere I went, everytime someone asked how things were going I enlisted them to our team of intercessors. Every believer I came in to contact with I basically begged to be a prayer warrior for our little guy. Our friends and church family were exceptional in their response to pray for us. Friends, I was absolutely miserable this whole time but this was such a great experience for my own walk of faith. I have never felt the power of prayer more than throughout this difficult season. I literally could feel myself being carried through every day by the prayers our brothers and sisters were lifting up on our behalf. It was amazing…prayer will never be the same to me.

The week after that I landed back in the hospital, labor progressing. After 3 days and tons of shots to attempt to slow labor and steroids to help our sweet baby’s lungs develop, we got to go home STILL PREGNANT! I 100% believe this was because of our prayer warriors. Our God is SO good and the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. Over the course of these few weeks, I realized just how many of our friends are righteous. I cannot believe the incredible people that surround us- people of holy pursuit. I have always been thankful for our friends but I have come to be thankful for their boldness and steadfastness in the faith in a way I had not truly appreciated on such a deep level before. Our family was also incredible fantastic and pretty much lived with us the last two months to make sure my big little was getting enough attention and our house didn’t fall down. Bless them. And send them coffee and chocolate if you see them, they sure deserve it! 😉

Days passed with contractions and nausea ALL DAY LONG. And after what seemed to be a BILLION YEARS, we made it to 36 weeks! HUGE answered prayer…and God was so glorified. Our friends celebrated the milestones. And to be honest my prayer almost instantly changed from ‘keep this baby in’ to ‘GET THIS BABY OUT NOW!’. I’m not dramatic. 😉 I was so over it and ready to meet this little guy. So finally, at 38 WEEKS we got to meet our sweet little man, healthy, screaming his (extra strong-thanks steroids) lungs out, and quite the chunkster compared to our first one (thanks Taco-Villa).

It is the sweetest feeling in the world to know that this is us, these are my people, this is my tribe. Our sweet Emmett has been the BEST big brother. He has the most compassionate heart towards his little brother and is so proud. He loves to hold him and sing to him while he pats (occasionally squeezes) his head and hold his fingers with the softest touch I’ve ever seen. This is truly a gift  I do not deserve and while I know that I am fully inadequate to raise these men, I am so thankful that God can override my mistakes and is ultimately the one who will guide their hearts.

So friends, thank you for your patience and your prayers as we walk into this beautiful new season of life. Thank you for your patience with emails as I am usually feeding or chasing someone. 🙂

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A letter from mommy…

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Sweet Easton James,

Oh my beloved boy. You have been prayed over and fought for. From day one you have been given the gift of love and compassion. You have been covered in the prayers of the saints. We waited for you and imagined all that you would be and look like, and could not wait to hold you and see your big brother  love on you as only big brothers can. The Holy Spirit led me to pray for BOLDNESS for you in our season of waiting. I pray that you will lead boldly and love boldly. I pray with all my heart and soul you seek the wisdom of the Lord and get your strength and faith from living in the Word. The verse the Lord gave me for you was Proverbs 28:1, that you would also be as “the righteous are bold as a lion”. Part of this makes my flesh anxious, because I know that boldness requires some sort of fear or risk as a predecessor. But sweet boy, this makes my spirit soar! I cannot wait to see all the things you will do for the Kingdom. I am so blessed to get to watch you grow and borrow you for a while as you grow into the man you were created to be. I cannot wait to watch you fall in love with our Jesus and discover your burdens for the world and people he has entrusted to you. I love you, sweet Easton. You are a difference maker because you are a son of God. Lead and love well, son. You are so dearly loved.

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Family, Seniors

Luke + Senior

Remember that one time my brother in law got a risky haircut for his senior pictures that nobody knew what to think about at first because it made him look SO GROWN UP and then we all got over it and loved it?! Yeah. This was it.

This handsome guy is my crazy fun brother in law, who Emmett adores and Trae is slightly shorter than. 😉 He is crazy talented and loves Jesus (just like his brother). I am the ONLY one in their whole family that does not have one ounce of athletic ability. But that’s another story…about how all I had to bring to the table when we got married was a love for Jesus. And talking. And food. (Eating it, not cooking it.) AND THEY LOVED ME ANYWAY! 😉 It has been such a blessing to watch this young guy who used to only love Nascar, Furrs, and Walmart grow into a young man of God with many loves, including a huge heart for people.   It is crazy to me that he is graduating and is ready to be an ADULT in real life. I know that God has created him for such a great purpose and  I cannot wait to see how he walks out his faith in this incredible new season. Congratulations, brotha! WE LOVE YOU!

 

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Family, Seniors

Erin + Senior 2015

Oh my goodness friends I cannot begin to describe how FUN this sweet girl is! She is graduating from Wellington and going on to play basketball in college in Kansas! She is not wasting any time spreading her wings and jumping into this new season. She was an incredible athlete (obviously) so we took some photos at some of her favorite places with the BILLION medals and trophies she has won. I have never won anything athletic IN MY LIFE. I may or may not have asked what it felt like to be a winner. 😉 We had such a great time during her session and I absolutely LOVED getting to celebrate this season with her. Congratulations, Erin! You are FABULOUS and I have no doubt you are going to keep winning at LIFE. You go girl!

Be blessed,

–R.

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Children, Family, Personal

Dear Emmett…6 months

Dear (6 month) Emmett,

Last night God gave me such a special moment of reflection as I stood over you. Just this last week you have really started sleeping really well ALL night, and I’m not going to lie–I am thankful. You did a few months ago, but life threw you for a loop when your teeth started coming in and rocked the boat in the slightest way. But, last night I just came in to check on you after hearing a tiny, sleepy, cry…and watched you find your pacifier, put it back in your mouth, and immediately roll over and go back to sleep. ALL BY YOURSELF.

And then I cried.

I cried because for the first time, I really watched you take care of yourself…and I wasn’t needed to make it better. It’s so true when mom veterans say you’ll miss all the things that made you so tired. Every sleepless night in retrospect is such an incredible blessing. I had the incredible advantage of having older friends who reminded me of this before and never took a single moment cuddling or night feeding for granted.

As I stood there watching you sleep so peacefully, it was almost as if you were cradled in the love of our Father in the most physical way, the way that we crave to feel him spiritually in adulthood. And my heart was so full of that love.

Every day we were together before you were born I prayed for you to already be being filled with the Spirit. I prayed for you to pursue Christ. I prayed for you to be healthy. I prayed for you to be happy. And my sweet E, you are by far the happiest baby I’ve ever met! Your happiness brings such joy to others, a joy that can only come from God. I am SO thankful. Every night your amazing daddy and I pray the exact same things over you that we did back then.

You’re learning something new everyday now it seems! Oh my sweet baby boy, trying to stand and crawl and walk-sometimes all at once! 😉 It is so inspiring to see you’re enthusiasm for life as you explore your new territory. You get frustrated when you think you can already do those things and it always makes me smile because it reminds me of my impatience and your dad’s determination.

I watched you sleep for what felt like forever before I shut the door. I then returned back to our bedroom and crying I told your dad not to laugh at me because I was having an emotional mom moment. Of course he did. But then agreed when I told him why.

After waiting for what felt like an eternity I can’t even believe that you have already been here, in my arms 6 months! Your dad and I have cherished EVERY moment. I love how you watch him, and get the BIGGEST smile on your face when he walks in the room. I know we tell you we love you everyday, but I pray you always know how thankful we are for you. You are such a blessing to us. We have learned so much about the love of God from you and hope as you grow you see His love reflected in us.

Love you more than ever,

–Mommy

 

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