Now that Esther is a month old, I have people asking me if our older kids are still doing well with her, or if they still like the baby. I understand the question, but it makes my heart sad. Not only are Elle and Johnny still head-over-heels in love with their baby sister, but their … Continue reading Yes, My Kids Still Like the Baby
After examining Esther, our pediatrician smiled reassuringly and told us she needed to talk to us. She told us not to panic...
I have been so excited to share Esther's birth story for the past two weeks. I finally have some time to sit down and type it all out. Let me start by giving some background info. In 2008, when I was pregnant with Elle at just 22 years old, I planned for a more natural … Continue reading My Supernatural Cesarean Birth
Tomorrow I will turn 31 years old. I couldn’t be more excited! In my last entry, I mentioned that I had huge hopes, declarations, and excitement for my 30th birthday. The past year has certainly had its victories and beautiful moments. But if I could really sum it up, I would describe the past 365 … Continue reading Running Toward Fear
One year ago today, Brett and many lovely friends threw me a party to celebrate my 30th birthday. Due to sickness and weather, lots of the party details changed last minute and it was a bit stressful, but we choose to have fun and stayed up into late hours of the night dancing with some … Continue reading Take a Moment to Remember
Stories of unhealthy community from my past and the redemptive healing life healthy community has brought us in our most recent trials.
The past three months have been filled with adventure, blessings, and frustrations. As a family, we have traveled to many exciting destinations, dealt with multiple unexpected hardships, and experienced huge transitions. To name a few major moments: we went on a mission trip as a family, Brett traveled to South Africa, we’ve endured quite a … Continue reading Choosing Grace
Brett and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary last week on June 2nd. That day, a friend teasingly asked us to share all the wisdom we’ve gained from being married that long. I have been pondering on that question since, and one thing keeps coming up. I have learned to appreciate and embrace the trials … Continue reading My Beautiful Scars
Dealing with unforeseen waves of grief in the midst of celebration can be tricky. Here is an example of how I'm learning to process and validate my heart with Jesus.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13.12 Hope deferred. This is the state Brett and I have found ourselves in quite often the past year. Many days, we could come up for a breathe and felt we weren’t trapped by its grip. Others, we could … Continue reading Hope Deferred
shailey ratliff 