sarah bel gray

My sweet sweet friend Sarah is one fabulous photographer. She and her husband are worship leaders at a church near by and we have had the honor of becoming close with them. They are just gems and we are so so blessed by them! Sarah and I were also pregnant with our baby boys together…her little man is just a few weeks younger than Kingston!

Anywho, Sarah has taken so many amazing pictures of my Kingston and our family over the years. She graciously photographed Kingston’s first birthday party and most recently did our Christmas cards. Friends…hire her. ASAP. You won’t regret it. I gasp every time I get my pictures. For real.

Check her out on facebook at THIS LINK or her website at THIS LINK.

Here are just a few of my favorites by Miss Sarah…

Tags: sarah bel gray photography

halloween

Is this not the sweetest little chicken you have ever seen??

Happy Halloween, from our family to yours!

Tags: chicken, halloween

golden birthday

I love birthdays. Birthdays are a HUGE deal in my family and I just love keeping that tradition going. Even though it becomes less and less of a big deal over the years, I still think birthdays are the one special day a year to truly honor someone for who they are and what they mean to you.

This year was my golden birthday…26 on the 26th. I had been waiting for my golden birthday as long as I could remember. I never imagined this is where I would be this year. Married for a little over four years, raising a sweet baby boy, surrounded by amazing girlfriends. My amazing mama was out for Kingston’s birthday and got to go out and celebrate with some of my besties. Gosh, I am SO grateful for those girls. It was a low key, yet wonderful birthday. And I can’t think of a better way to have spent my golden birthday.

Here’s to one step closer to 30! hahaha….

Tags: 26, golden birthday

sweet baby boy turns one!

Sweet baby boy,

Today you are one year old.  That is so crazy to say. It seems like just yesterday I was impatiently waiting for your arrival…so ready to not be pregnant anymore and to just have you in my arms.

It has been a long journey for mama and you are my precious pride and joy. God knew what an amazing, sweet boy you would be. It is a joy to watch you come into your own and become the person you were designed to be. You have not always been the greatest sleeper but you make up for it in sweet snuggles and hugs and kisses. You are one crazy smart little boy…you crawled very early, had at least 10 words by your birthday, and already began coloring and playing with toys meant for much older kids. You love listening to your daddy play music and love to watch movies with him. You love your Ginger cat and chase her around the house laughing hysterically.

Buddy, you have changed my life in more ways than you will ever know. You have taught me patience, persistence and a greater understanding of unconditional love. It has been the joy of my heart to become a mama and learn how to raise you. I can’t imagine life without you. Know that no matter how big you may grow you will always be my sweet beanie boy.

Happy1st birthday my precious son, mama loves you!

Tags: first birthday, Kingston, motherhood

mother mae.

Happy birthday to the most incredible woman I know…

“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” -Proverbs 31:29

I love you mama!

kingston’s dedication.

This weekend we dedication Kingston at church. Ryan’s parents were able to come into town and we had some other family and friends there to celebrate as well.

Thank you to all our “family” at church for standing up and committing to raise Kingston up in the Lord. Your sweet notes and love for our little bean mean SO much to us. It was such a blessing after our journey to be able to dedicate Kingston to the Lord and to stand up and say we are still trusting Him.

These verses really spoke to our hearts:

“For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD.” -1 Samuel 1:27-28

God knew that the desire of my heart was to become a mother. He blessed me with the most amazing little boy I could have ever asked for. I prayed and prayed for sweet Kingston…and now that he is here we have to hold him with our hands open, allowing God to continue to do His will.

I ask that you pray for Kingston… pray that he would “be careful to do what the LORD [his] God has commanded him, never turning to the left or to the right…”. Pray that God would grow in his heart a passion for Himself and teach him to embody the fruits of the Spirit. Pray that he would become a strong man of God and an incredible husband and father one day.

I also ask that you pray for Ryan and me…pray for wisdom, patience , and discernment. Pray that God would grow us in our marriage and show Kingston what a healthy, beautiful, biblical marriage looks like. Pray that we would be able to correct and to praise when necessary. Pray that we would be able to support Kingston in all areas of his life. And pray for those days we just need sanity!

Thank you for loving us and for walking alongside us and our baby journey. We are so grateful to our family and friends who have become like family. May God bless you tremendously!!

Tags: baby boy, baby dedication, kingston ryan

domestic charm.

Can I just tell you how much I love my friend Katelyn?? I got to have lunch with her today and it was just so good to catch up. She is one gem of a woman…

She has been working to expand her amazing little business, Domestic Charm. She is putting all her talents to use to sell some of the sweetest little treasures!

Here are a few of my favorites from HER ETSY SHOP and HER BLOG…

gum paste flowers!

glitter cupcake wrappers

Check out her blog, shop her shop and just send some love her way on her FACEBOOK PAGE as well!

Way to go, Katelyn!

Tags: crafty mama, domestic charm, katelyn block

two.

Sweet Micaela…

Today is your second heavenly birthday! It is crazy to think that two years ago I was holding you in my arms in the delivery room. So much has happened since then. This year mama has been focused on raising your little brother, Kingston. He is the most precious little man in the world. When mama feels sad or overwhelmed about life, all I have to do is spend some time with your sweet, funny brother and life instantly goes back into focus. I am so blessed that after losing you God gave me Kingston.

Mama & Daddy celebrated your birthday this year with close friends and many phone calls to family. Daddy took a few days off work which was so wonderful. We talked a lot about you, about how you changed our lives. We got some beautiful roses for you and pink sparkly cupcakes. I think the anticipation of your birthday is always harder for me than your actual birthday. God is so faithful, sweet daughter. He brings peace and joy at the very moment we need it.

This year the reality that we actually had a baby two years ago really set in. Seeing your baby brother grow up and seeing how our lives are so different now makes me realize that this is what we were planning with you. You don’t really understand becoming parents until you are months into it. It’s all so real now that I have had two babies! It brings a whole new set of emotions and another level of healing that I did not know was coming. I see now that if I would have felt then how I feel now, or had such clarity and understanding, it would have changed everything. Part of me wishes I could have known that because I think it would have changed our time together. Yet on the other hand I know that God protected my heart and let me know exactly what I needed to know at that moment. I’m grateful that God answered my prayers in allowing me to remain protected in that moment.

Getting to know your brother’s personality makes me think of what you would have been like. Would you have had blonde hair and blue eyes like him? Would you have his sense of humor and be so snuggly? You were always so active inside mama’s belly which makes me think you would have had as much energy as him! Kingston noticed your sweet hand and footprints hanging in mama’s room the other day and we spent some time looking at them. I wonder what that conversation will be like when we tell him all about you. I’m excited for that conversation and for him to really celebrate your birthdays with us. I know he will love your pink cupcakes

Baby girl, you are so loved. You continue to bless others in ways you will never know. I’m so grateful that God used my daughter’s life for His glory and to change lives. Happy second heavenly birthday, Micaela!

All our love,

Mama, Daddy + Kingston

 

Tags: heavenly birthday, micaela grace, two

happy birthday ry!

Happy birthday to my sweet sweet husband…

Ry, I love you and am so proud of you. God has grown you in incredible ways this year and it has been so amazing to watch your growth. It has been a crazy busy year and you have accomplished so much. I am so proud of the man you are becoming and am blessed to be your wife! Kingston has a pretty sweet daddy too

We love you so much, daddy! Here’s to an amazing 27th year of your life!

xoxo, Danielle + Kingston

Tags: birthday, ryan axtell

eleven months.

Happy eleven months, sweet bean! Love you!!!

love, mama

Tags: eleven months, Kingston