Baby Shower # 1

Last weekend we had several really good friends host our first baby shower. It was such a nice time and we received so many wonderful gifts. We are so blessed to have so many friends and family to share in this time with us. Baby Olivia already has many toys, clothes and many other things due to some very giving friends and family. Thanks to Mrs. Glover for hosting the shower and Mrs. Hester, DeeDee, Natalie, Rebecca and Emilee for being so sweet and helping with this shower and to make this time extra special for us.

My mom, Aunt Cindy, and my sister, Amie were able to come from Memphis to go to the shower too. They were also my little elves for the weekend, which I greatly appreciated!

Maternity Pictures

Hays and I decided to document this pregnancy with some photos. We figured since it was our first pregnancy it would be nice to have something to remember it by since it has gone by soo quickly. One of Hays' photography friends that has a studio was able to take these for us. This is just a sneak peak, we don't want to bore y'all and show every one of them. I think they are so sweet and really capture what a special time this is for us.

Look Who Turned ONE!!!

Hays and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with many blessings. We were able to eat some really yummy food, spend time with all of our family, near and far away, and see old friends with their new babies. All in all it was a wonderful holiday and we are looking forward to Christmas.

Thanksgiving Day was extra special this year because we helped celebrate Wil Franklin's first birthday. He is Amberly and Matt's little boy. He had such a great time opening all of his toys and being able to eat his first piece of birthday cake (which he rather enjoyed). It was fun to see how excited he was. Children are such a blessing and help remind us the true meaning to laughter and life. Happy First Birthday Wil Franklin, none of us can believe that you are already ONE!

WHO DAT??!!

So Matt, Hays' brother, has been a Saints fan for many many years. A few years ago he called and was put on a list for a season ticket holder. Well, after many years of waiting, they called him this year and said they had four season tickets if he wanted to purchase them (supposedly there's thousands of people on the waiting list). Of course, Matt says heck yeah we want them! So all season they have been attending all of the Saints home games. What a season to become a season ticket holder (for those of you who don't keep up with pro-football, like me last season, the Saints are one of two teams that are undefeated).

So Amberly and I were lucky enough to be invited to the Monday night football game against the Patriots (we felt very honored:). We drove to New Orleans that afternoon and then drove back after the game. It was a great game and koodos to Matt for being a BIG fan of the Saints so we could all enjoy going to the games.

THANKFULNESS....

It is that time of year to really be pondering what we are thankful for. Although, this is something that we should do on a daily basis, we do get caught up with busy lives and forget the many things we are blessed with. In honor of Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, I would like to count my blessings for the many things I am undeserved of.

Hays and I have an abundance to be thankful for. These are just a few that are at the top of my list.
1.First, and foremost for a God that sent His Son to die for us, undeserving sinners, so that we could have ETERNAL life....how amazing
2.For a Godly husband that encourages my walk with my Father and is so supportive and forgiving. I am not sure who I would be without him. God knew what He was doing when He brought us together.
3.For a healthy pregnancy thus far. Every good and perfect gift is from our Lord.
4.Our church that teaches us the word weekly and gives us Christian friends to fellowship with.
5.My family....nothing else needs to be stated.
6.Friends that light up my days
7.The little things in life- a warm bed, coffee in the morning, flowers in the backyard, mountains to go visit, etc.
8.A home to make memories in and come home to everyday
9.Jobs that pay the bills and allow us to do things we really enjoy
10.Our little four legged child, Lilly.

Baby Olivia

Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment along with a sonogram to check up on baby Olivia. My mom and nephew, Kai, came in town to go with us. The doctor said that everything is looking perfect. Olivia is growing as she should, I passed the glucose test and we are right on schedule. Olivia was not exactly cooperating with us. She seems to move like crazy ALL the time but that like 15 minutes we really wanted to take a look at her. She had her face buried with her hands up by her head. In other words, we did not get ANY good photos of her cute little self (maybe next time). Because I have hypothyroidism, the doctor is going to do a sonogram every four weeks from now on. So eventually we will get a good shot of the little stinker! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Wow!! What A Big Belly! (28 week update)

Olivia Sue Collins is due to arrive on February 10, 2010. So we are in the third and last trimester of the pregnancy. We are shocked at how time has flown by so quickly. Soon after the holidays, our precious little girl will be here. Everyday I wake up I feel like my belly has grown a ton over night and cannot imagine it becoming any bigger. Although, I do know that she is just over 2 pounds right now and has a lot of growing to do and so does her mommy's belly. We are busy getting things done around the house along with the nursery. I will post pictures as soon as it is ready.

We have a doctors appointment this Friday. I will be doing the sugar test to test for gestational diabetes and we will have another sonogram. I will post pictures of the sonogram soon after. Please pray that everything will go smoothly and she is growing as she should. This little girl is such a blessing from our Lord and we will be so excited when we finally get to meet her.

Viva Las Vegas....

Last weekend was the trip that Hays and I look forward to year after year. We take this trip annually with Hays' parents and Amberly and Matt along with whoever else wants to come along for the fun. We go every year for an annual golf tournament that Wendy's sponsors to raise money for adoption. It is a great way to raise money for a really good cause that Dave Thomas had such a heart for.

The boys participate in the golf tournament everyday while we go shopping, to the spa and tour around Vegas. We always go to really great restaurants and shows at night. It's a great time for us to getaway and get some "R" and "R" before the holidays arrive.

Amberly and Matt after dinner one night (they left Wil Franklin for the first time on this trip, they needed a break but missed him sooo much)

Me and Amberly (sorry it's so close up)

Me, Mrs.Gail, and Amberly (at The Wynn Hotel)

The fountain show at The Bellagio (very very neat)

It's Been A Loonnggg Time....Due For A Small Update

So I am not real sure why I haven't updated the blog lately. I have no good excuses but from now on I am going to do much better.

Since my last post not much has been going on. Below are some snap shots from Halloween. One of our very good friends, Memrie, got married on Halloween Eve and Hays did the photographs for her. After the ceremony all of the guests got dressed up in their Halloween costumes to celebrate the festvities. We had a blast and it was a beautiful wedding. Congrats to Memrie and Zach!

Baby update and pictures from our Vegas trip coming soon!

Hays was a farmer (kinda lame) and I was Cleopatra (koodos to Rebecca for the costume)

Pocahontas and The Mexican (A.K.A. Rebecca and Jay)

Me, Emilee, and Rebecca
Some people may have had too much fun! :)

Our Little Getaway To New Orleans

Hays and I planned a fun little get away for the two of us just to have some time away before the baby comes. It was a very nice weekend and we had a blast in New Orleans. We left on Saturday morning and got there mid afternoon. We went to the aquarium (which is nothing to write home about) and to the IMAX. Then we ventured on to Emeril's restaurant for dinner called Nola. It was fantastic. We also took a ghost walking tour around the French Quarter where they told us how the mansions were haunted, kind of corky if you ask me (Hays rather enjoyed himself after having the 2 for 1 Hurricane special they were offering). On Sunday we went to Cafe Du Monde for some very appetizing breakfast and then went to the Saints game. Sorry we don't have more pictures, we took a camera that had no memory card in it (oops). Hope everyone had a great weekend and is ready to watch some Rebels play this Saturday.

Fit For A Princess....

With time flying by so quickly and the holidays around the corner, I went ahead and purchased the crib. We are going to try to get the nursery complete before the holidays arrive and we are busy doing other things. I have loved this crib since we first started looking at them (I just had to talk Hays into loving it). I think it is very classy and has a hint of antique flare to it. I think it is just perfect for a little girl (or little boy at some point). I will post pictures of the nursery in a few months when it is complete.

A Growing Belly....

So time is moving a little quicker than we anticipated. I always thought that when I became pregnant time would creep by so slowly and it would feel like the baby was never going to get here. Well, just the opposite is happening. I am 21 weeks pregnant today so we are over half way there. I cannot believe how fast time is flying by. I am going to wake up one day and have a stomach the size of Texas and wonder how it got so big so fast.

Time slipped away from us so this is actually a 21 week picture instead of the midway mark at 20 weeks (oops). Not a huge belly but for sure has a growing little girl inside. Hopefully, I will just gain the recommended 1 pound a week (it's a little frightening to see these numbers when I get on the scale to be very honest). Baby Collins is growing fast, weighing in at about 10 ounces. She seems to have energy like her Daddy and never stops moving and kicking. She is the length of a carrot and can now taste foods that I eat. Life is so fascinating. God is soo good to us and has blessed us abundantly.

A BIG Weekend With An Even BIGGER Surprise

Hays and I have had a very exciting last couple of days to say the least. Last Thursday we went to the doctor to have our sonogram and were very surprised to find out that we are having a GIRL!! I thought it was a girl from the very beginning but Hays thought just the opposite. He was so strong with his belief that it started making me wonder about my motherly instinct (ha!). A couple of weeks ago we took a test that you can purchase at the local drug store that also said a boy. When the picture popped up on the monitor the technician asked what we thought it was and without thinking I just said boy. She said nope, that is a girl and she is very proud of it today (thank goodness).

So to surprise our parents (because this is the first little girl on both sides) we had two bakery's make two different cakes that were decorated with green and yellow on the outside but was pink on the inside. Both grandmothers (GiGi and Nano) had to cut the cake to reveal the sex of the baby. Everyone is sooo excited to say the very least. We took a video of my mom cutting the cake but unfortunatley cannot get it to play. She started jumping up and down and screaming. You can tell how shocked they are by the pictures below.

This is the cake for Hays' parents. We had dinner on Thursday night, the day we found out.

Amberly, GiGi and PaPa as the sex of the baby is revealed. GiGi is so excited to have a little girl to buy dresses for.

This is the cake we got for my parents. I went to Memphis on Saturday to tell them.

My mom thought it was a girl the whole time. Probably because she wanted a girl. She was just a little excited (ha!).

This weekend we also went to Cleveland, MS to our alma mater. Delta State has an annual event called Pig Pickin that we go back for every year. This is our time to see old friends and reminisce about our fun times while in college. I would never go back but cherish the times we had going to class and not worrying about a job or bills to pay (nothing else is like the good ole college days).

Hays and two of his friends, Jay and Chris, did the team triathalon that the swim team sponsors every year. They did awesome and are going to hang their aprons up with the cooking contest and move on to the triathalon (they did the BBQ cooking contest last year and got last). Good decision boys!

Hays getting ready to go fight the wind. He did awesome.

The last thing that was planned for the weekend was giving my great friend Holly a baby shower. Sunday I helped host a shower for her and all her friends. We have been friends for such a long time and I cannot beleive that we are about to be mothers. We have known eachother since 7th grade, went through high school, college, weddings and now children together. Cole is due to arrive late October. What an awesome friend! I know she will be as great a mother as she has been a friend.

Girls Getaway to the Beach Plus One

Last weekend my mom, sister, aunt, nephew and I escaped to the beach for a mini vacation. We left on Thursday and came back on Monday for some much needed fun in the sun and white sand. We get together and take this trip annually. Thanks to the Collins Family for providing their condo for us a place to relax and get away.

I always LOVE having my mom around. I think everyone will agree that no one quite treats you as good as your Mom (although Hays does not fall far behind). She always scratches my back, rubs my feet and treats all of her children like gold. Things will be quite different next year with an infant in tow. I just pray that I can live up to being as good of a Mom as she is to me.

We had a blast at the beach and cannot wait to go back. We layed out, burried Kai in the sand, went out for dinner, ordered in pizza and watched a movie, and shopped. We were all very relaxed and didn't want to leave (I guess you always say "if we just had one more day").

Baby Collins 16 Week Update

Hays and I went to the doctor last Thursday. Everything looked perfect so far. The baby's heart rate was in the 140's (some would say that is for sure a little boy in there) and it is measuring just as it should. Our next appointment, which will be on September 17th, we will find out for sure if it is a BOY or GIRL! I will for sure post and let everyone know.

For now, the baby is the size of an avocado and can hear me and everyone around me talking. It is beyond me how God can create something so small yet so developed, special, and unique. Only our God could do something that marvelous and amazing.

Our Furry, Four-Legged Child

I had to post some pictures of our (for now) only child, Lilly. She is spoiled rotten and gets all of the attention in our household. I hope she's ready for a slight change in a few months. We are those crazy dog people (oh well).

Is Everybody That I Know Pregnant??

This weekend I hosted a baby shower for one of my really good friends. Kari and I went to college together and ran cross country together all four years. I am blessed to have her live right around the corner from me. She had a great turn out and received many wonderful gifts. She is due in October but does not know what she is having (glad for her but not something I could do). Little Sumrall will be here before we know it.


This is me and Holly. Holly has been one of my very best friends since like 7th grade. I love her dearly and am not sure what I would do without her friendship. We have been through A LOT together and I don't get to see her nearly as much as I would like. When we see eachother it's like we are apart of eachother's everyday lives. I pray that everyone has a friend like her. I'm not sure what I would do without her. (She is also pregnant and little Cole is due to arrive in October)