Life these last few months as my iphone sees it

First few weeks with Violet

This is pretty much all we did the first 2 weeks, and against all my normal rules we still sleep like this at night

A boy's best friend

Well 3 kids is a little more of an adjustment. To say the least, Steele has a little more freedom for mischeif

1st Grade ended for Chloe. Can hardly believe she will be in 2nd grade. She got an award For "Her Eagerness Towards Helping Others"

Violet on the go...With the 2 others sometimes we have to throw schedule to the wind.

"Hold Her" Is what her big brother always says.

Can't believe this was 8 weeks ago

Chloe is an amazing big sister and helper to mom.

Father's Day

We had a great Fathers Day. The kids were so excited to make dad breakfast and give him there present (box of all his favorite treats). Then that evening Bruce, the Snyders, and the Weavers all came down for a BBQ. We feel so lucky to have so many great dad's in our lives!

Violet Rose Shepard

Born May 12th

7lbs 9oz 181/2 inches

Daddy's Boy

Steele is defintely a daddy's boy. They have a very special bond. He cries when he leaves, and screams with excitement when he comes home. He says "Daddy" more than 30x's a day. He is not just his favorite person, but it is as if Daddy is his favorite word to say. It never annoys Rhett at all, he just responds "Yes Son".

Blessings

It has been so long since I have blogged and I am grateful to start again. I am grateful for everything my family and I have been through and been blessed with these last few months. We have had our fair share of hardship for the last while, but through everything I have begun to see my miracles, some big and some small.

I feel blessed to live in an amazing area with people who are so willing to lend an amazing hand. I have had to allow others to serve me and they have in spoken and unspoken ways.

I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to see the bigger picture. To see the Lords hand in my life, and to know he is so mindful of just little old me.

We had a fire in our garage back in December. I heard the smoke alarm go off around 2pm but still wasn't sure if it was my house. Even then I didn't think it could be a real situtation. It wasn't until I saw Rhett run up to grab Steele out of his bed and yell to me to get out that I realized it may be for real. When I got out of the house and picked up Steele, I glanced over and saw fire and smoke coming from the back corner of my garage.

The smoke damage made it so not much was salvagable. It was scary how quick it started and how quick it destroys. It still feels strange that this happened. I still think about some of the things I lost, but what I gained is irreplaceable.

We were purged by natural causes. It forced us to look at everything, and in the a greater perspective it was a necessary thing for our family.

I am thankful to rebuild. and to start new. With my family and my amazing ward and friends, and my knowledge and testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have all.

And in less than 4 weeks we will be blessed with a new baby in our home. We can't wait for her to arrive.