Tonight was such a fun night! Scott and I went and ate cheap mexican food and then headed to Wal-Mart to shop for our church's Christmas Store. Our church does this wonderful outreach where we all buy toys and then they invite families to come and "shop" for their families. Not only do we provide toys for them but they have church members there to wrap their presents, pray with them and witness to them. Last year we had about 550 families come through and they expect a lot more this year. We were able to buy a lot of toys because my work gave each of us some money to give to our favorite charity this year and Scott and I don't buy each other gifts - we would rather do this. We feel so blessed this year - it's hard to not want to give.
While we were at Wal-Mart - we bought a baby doll that I'm going to try and carry around and get Dawson used to the idea of a baby. We put her in our bouncy seat. We'll probably try to carry her around a lot over the next few weeks so Dawson is not in complete shock when the real thing gets here.
I want to ask ya'll to please be in prayer for one of my sweet blog friends - Amanda Ledford. She is someone I have been praying for to become pregnant (and you are too if you are using the prayer blog). Last night their house was struck by lightening and caught fire. It got a lot of fire and water damage (a nearly brand new house) and then this afternoon - the tarp they had nailed down over their roof came off and because it was storming hard in their area - their house got covered in more water - increasing the damage. Please be in prayer for them. You can see them on their local news in the clip below.
Just one more thing - the prayer blog has been up now for 5 weeks - and so far I have 5 girls with praises that they are pregnant! YEAY! Keep praying!!!!
30 comments:
Bless their hearts! That just breaks my heart that that happened to their home. It just makes me wish I lived closer to them so I could help them somehow...at least with cleaning up insulation or something! I will def. be praying for them. So exciting about the prayer blog praises!! :o)
I have never had any pets, but I have had friends who, before they brought the new baby home, would take a blanket that the baby had been using home so the dog/pets could smell it and get at least a little familiar with the new baby scent. Like I said, I've never had pets before so I have no idea...just thought it was worth mentioning!
You look so cute holding that baby, too! I can't wait till it's the REAL thing...exciting!
Praying for your sweet friend and her husband. I am so glad they are safe and they seem to be in good spirits and have a great attitude.
About the doll...we had 2 dogs when Emma was born and we were very concerned about them. One was 14 (she passed away when Emma was 6 months old) and the other was 4. We brought the baby home, but we also rubbed lotion on it so they could get use to the smell. Eventually, we would lay the doll on the floor and they would not even mess with it.
Our dog is so good with Emma and they love each other. I think you will see that your pup will transition just fine. However, they are very curious when you first bring the baby home.
All is going well with me, thanks for asking. I will be surprise your way shortly.
I can't believe that about Amanda's house! She lives in my area (we found eachother on your blog) but we have never met before. I am going to try and email her and see if there is anything I can do to help them out, I didn't even know this had happened to them! Thanks so much for sharing and asking for prayer for them, I am sure they can use all the prayers they can get.
We took the hats that the hospital provided home and let our dog sleep with it, sniff it, chew it, etc. before I even came home with the boys. She did a really good job with the kids. I think you will be surprised about it.
I cannot believe that about their house! Wow. I will definitely keep them in my prayers.
Oh my word! Bless their hearts! They will, most definitely, be in my prayers!
Drew and I went and bought our Operation Christmas Child items. I made a fool of myself and started bawling at the cash register when Drew told the cashier that he was buying those toys for "wittle" boys that don't have beds. PRECIOUS! Ah! No better feeling than seeing your childs giving and humble heart!
You holding that babydoll is cracking me UP! I think it is a great idea! I don't have any experience w/ dogs and babies together; but that seems like a very smart plan! ;) And Harper will enjoy playing with the babydoll later on... :)
The dog trainer that came to our house last week suggested we do that to get our dogs used to the baby. We need to get a baby doll and start doing that soon!
What a horror to happen at any time of the year, but especially now. Will be praying for them!
And yay for the the prayer list and the praises to our Lord! and a big thank you to you for undertaking this task :)
Words cannot express how much it means that you put us on your blog and all the prayers that we will receive because of it! You are such a wonderful person and I am blessed to have you as a friend!
What a fabulous idea about the doll! Let us know how that goes! I don't know what we will do with Spencer when the time comes. He is having a hard time sharing attention with my dog that lives at my parents house now that we are all living there!!!
I love that you went shopping for other families. We did this with our church when we lived in Houston. They families could some and "shop" then we wrapped all the gifts. It is one of the best memories i have of Christmas. What church do you go to?
I will be praying for Amanda. This is awful. I started crying when i was watching the clip. This is the worst time of year for something to happen.
I love that you got a doll. I might have to steal this idea when our time comes. Ollie is getting soo spoiled...
I've been following your blog for a week now and have enjoyed reading about you. I have a bichon too. He gets jealous over everything!! I hope to be a grandma in the next few years and know that I will have to do something similar to get him use to not getting all the attention. I am new to the blog world.... please visit me at www.oxfordimpressions.blogspot.com to see pictures of my "baby".
Oh Kelly, having been through a fire, my heart hurts for them. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help this family. They are in my thoughts and prayers without ceasing.
Kaye
Revelation 21:4-5
Poor Amanda!!! She is a good friend of Lauren's so I will definitely let her know that we are all thinking and praying for her.
Our doctor suggested that when we brought Vance home from the hospital that we should let Ashworth sniff his little baby cap. Getting familiar with the smell helps a ton ;).
I hope your church's shopping spree goes well!
What an aweful thing to happen just before Christmas, I am praying.
5 WEEKS AND 5 PREGNANCIES.....1 pregnancy a week.....that means my turn MUST be coming up!
God is just so good! It is so exciting hearing of women seeing their baby dreams come true.
x
That is such a great idea to not get gifts for your spouse and instead combine the money and donate it! I think I'll do that this year...thanks for the idea!!
Great idea for the Christmas Shop.
That's lovely.
Praying hard for those poor people.
The outreach program that your church does sounds awesome! We adopt a family at work each year and I love making the big shopping trip to get all their presents...giving is so much fun!
After my son was born we wrapped him in a receiving blanket for a few hours so it could get his scent and then my husband took it home for our dog to smell and become familiar with...it worked out pretty well because Lucky was not as curious as we thought he would be when Carter came home for the first time.
What a terrible time to have your house messed up like that!!! Poor things. 1 girl a week!!! At this rate we can raise a whole slew of future-Jesus-lovers!!!
Good idea about the doll, we've been using a Curious George doll. haha
Our church in North Little Rock has a Christmas Store as well. Ours was held this past Sat. We had about 150 families come through pick presents, had them wrapped and were able to hear the gospel. It is such a wonderful outreach and I am glad to see other churches doing it as well!
The power of prayer is amazing! Thanks for starting that. I know it is such a blessing.
Also with that baby doll you can take photos of your little Harper next to her and watch as she gets bigger that the doll!
I think you and Scott are the most wonderful people!!! I think it is soooooooooooooo SWEET that yall buy all those gifts for your church and families in need!!!!
What a great idea to carry a baby doll around so that Dawson will get use to the baby!!!
I watched the video! That is sooooooooooo sad!!!! =( At least they are safe!!! They house can be fixed!!! They seem very positive with all that has happened!!!
We did the same thing with a baby doll for Evan. I think it helps the older sibling get ready. Ha!
I had no idea the damage to Amanda's house was so severe. It breaks my heart!
Praying for sweet Amanda and her husband! I just hate that they have to go through this.
I love that you and Scott are involved with such an awesome opportunity to give to families in need. What a blessing! I love it.
And I love that picture of you holding the doll. You are too cute!!
I feel so sorry for that couple. You would never guess from looking at the outside of the house how much damage was done!
I love the baby doll idea. I would've never thought about that!
I just bawled when I read 5 girls in 5 weeks! God is so good! I feel so blessed to be able to pray for all of them!!
i love the idea that your church does for christmas, that is so neat and wonderful!
If you would add Larua to your prayer list please, she is a girl from our church who lost her baby boy 3 days before her scheduled c-section, she was 40 weeks along. Please just keep her and her family in your prayers, thank you.
Riley will be 10 in March. He is my shadow! He sleeps on a pillow above my pillow or under the covers curled up against me. If I sit down, he's on my lap or next to me. Right now I have him at work with me so I can keep him from scratching his incision. He's laying in his dog bed with his head propped up on the side looking at me like i'm the greatest thing since sliced bread! He's a lover, not a protector! He rolls over on his back for anyone he meets so they can scratch his belly! If I were to introduce a new dog into our family, I think, it would break his heart and he would pout for a while....but he would recover. I love your idea of using the doll to get him use to the idea of you holding someone besides him. I'm sure you'll spend more time holding your baby on the couch than in a rocking chair so your dog can be laying across the bottom of your lap while your new baby is against your chest ! ! Best wishes for a safe delivery, a healthly baby and a content Bichon.
oxfordimpressions.blogspot.com
My Mother (teacher of Lamaze classes/RN/etc) recommends that when you walk into the house after having a bay - you have the husband hold baby (and/or carrier) and the mom greets the dog!
Just a little Flo thought to pass on!
We lost our home in a fire when I was a baby - it was horrid! Mom's eyes still water about it - prayers for sure...water and smoke damage the worse...
hugs! k
What an awesome thing your church is doing..so many families will be blessed this year because of all the kindness you and your church are spreading :)
I am praying for Amanda....I got an email from her and I feel so bad for her and her hubby.
He will see her through :)
what a great idea with carrying around the doll. bringing a diaper home or a blanket is a good idea as well after the baby is born. i would think it would not be good for Dawson to tear apart both items though as this might teach her to be more aggressive with the new little one! what is most important is including Dawson in the care of the new little one. it's very easy to forget our little fury friends when a baby comes along. please continue to post on your blog about Dawson after the baby comes though!
That is a great idea to carry around the baby doll! My cats are in for a rude awakening when Brayden arrives!
Will pray for your friend. Cute idea on the babydoll. I'll never forget when I brought Mary Erin (1st born) home and my cat Sophia noticed her, etc. But then one day in the infant seat, Mary Erin woke up and moved and Sophia jumped 3 feet in the air. It was the first time she realized that the 'thing' was alive! ha ha. Dawson will adjust fine. Our cat Phaselis just had to learn the crib was not his bed !
Post a Comment