Fun new projects!!

So, we've been busy little bees this year with house projects!!! I thought I'd post some pics to show all the fun things we've been doing! Our list is still long and we are ITCHING for spring as the next on the list is to re-landscape the whole front!! I've got this huge rose bush on one side and we are going to take out everything around it and create a whole rose garden!!! I'm SUPER excited as gardening has become one of my loves in life!! I put a couple pics of paint jobs- we did stripes on our family room wall and then a big red stripe in our guest bedroom/office. I also went through this canvas painting phase so I took a pic of one I did for Ben's nursery!! We landscaped the back yard- which used to be a horrible mess of a mud pit!!!! And my favorite addition is the polk-a-dot chairs!!! When my Grandpa Lanuti passed away, we crated these 80 year old chairs from PA. We just got them recovered in this crazy fun fabric and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!!! Plus they are a sweet reminder of one of most real encounters of God's presence I have ever had in my life.

1st Birthday, 1st Cupcake, 1st Haircut

Ben is ONE!!! We had a GREAT time celebrating his sweet precious life. What a gift from the Lord! Ben LOVES blueberries, that's pretty much the only thing I can be positive that he will eat everyday, SO, I made him lemon blueberry cupcakes for his birthday and they were delish! He had his first haircut on his birthday so he would look smashing for his party. Unlike Logan, who screamed his head off, Ben was a perfect little gentleman! I was a proud mommy!

Here are a few things about our 1 year old!
Favorite food: Blueberries
Favorite song: One we make up...B is for baby brother, E is for energetic, N is for nice and nutritious....no naughty (that's the part Logan made up!!!), E is for easily entertains everyone, T is for teeny tiny love!
Favorite word: Hi
Teeth: 4
Milestones: He love to clap his hands and dance when music comes on, not walking yet
Loves to: eat streamers and toilet paper, obsessed with anything that has water (toilet bowls, dishwashers, bathtubs, and yes, I've found him in or playing with all three, ewww), and he loves to climb on, under, and around everything!!!



I am happy to share his SWEAT test came back normal so we have officially ruled out cystic fibrosis!!!! As you can imagine, this was a huge relief. We are still waiting on the other tests and start a whole new set for his kidney issues next week. We have clung heavily to God's Word and have found great refuge in the strength of the Lord. Psalm 84 really ministered to my heart a few weeks ago, what a glorious day when the troubles of the world will no longer hinder our intimacy with Christ! And until then, "O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you!"

Prayer for Ben

I thought I'd post this email we sent out last night to our close friends and family. I'm happy to say Ben ate really well this morning and is taking to the Pediasure like a champ!! The way he is gulping it down makes me think he didn't like the rice milk (duh!!!) or the whole milk & Carnation Instant Breakfast we've be trying for the past 3 weeks. His liquid intake this morning was dramatically more than normal for him!!! Thanks for all the emails and encouragement thus far. xo



We've had a long day at TX Children's so I wanted to send along this update for the purpose of prayer. I'm really tired so I'd appreciate if we didn't have a ton of phone calls tonight. We need to regroup, pray, and rest as a family tonight, I hope you understand.

We saw the GI and dietitian today. Some of you might be unaware of the entire situation so here is a quick update. Ben (from birth) has had kidney issues requiring surgery around age 1. We have a big appointment on the 29th in Houston to see how much of his left kidney is functioning. We then have an apt on Feb. 1 to schedule surgery (one of two types- remove his left kidney or recreate the valve that flows into his bladder). On top of that over the last 6 months, Ben's growth curve has not increased or stayed the same and he has dropped into the "failure to thrive" zone. Today's appointment was to deal with that. We have several tests and blood work scheduled for this Wed at 9:30 in Houston. We are testing for a variety of things including liver and kidney problems, cystic fibrosis, and other GI issues. We will be taking measurements of everything he eats and drinks over the next three days, and have several follow up appointments during the coming month.

We are hoping for the best and praying for God's mercy and protection. If you could pray with us on the following dates and appointments we would be grateful. If you could also put Bennett on your church's prayer lists, we would also appreciate that. I'm hoping at the end of this all we have to deal with is his surgery, please pray for strength for whatever else comes our way.

Jan. 9- tests for GI problems in Houston
Jan. 15- follow up with dietitian
Jan. 25- with pediatrician
Jan. 29- tests with urologist for kidney function
Feb. 1- apt to schedule next step concerning surgery
March 3- follow up with GI

Christmas Joy

There are lots of reasons why this Christmas was extra special. It was Bennett's FIRST Christmas (he'll be one January 12!!). The addition of Ben to our family has brought so much laughter into our lives, he ALONE is a hysterical kid and listening to Logan talk to him makes it all even funnier. Having our first house to decorate, put up lights, start new traditions and memories was really exciting. One of the most special things this Christmas was the company of our best friends from CA!! They came the day after Christmas and we rung in the new year together. It is a rare blessing to have friends that we can live EVERY aspect of life together, and our deepest gratitude this year is to God for the family we have in them! PLUS, as you can tell, I'm totally enjoying my new camera!!! I got a Nikon D40x!!!! It came with an awesome zoom lens, yahooo!!!! The baby in the bath with Bennett is their new little guy Jake who will be one in April. Logan and Owen are hugging, and then Brice and Suz are the cutties in the other pic! GAME recommendation...so we played this hysterical game called Loaded Questions, you have GOT to get it, total crack up!!!!!

Don't Diss the Goat

This year was extra special because we actually had room for a real Christmas tree!!! Not that we didn't LOVE our 650 square foot box in California or anything, but the smell of a Frasier Fur filling up the house just made Christmas!!! (YES, can you believe our first tree was a FRASIER!!! A bit cheesy, I know, but we thought it rocked!) We went to this awesome Christmas tree farm where you cut down your own tree, have a hay ride, train ride, visit the petting zoo and Santa happened to take a break from his toy making to sit with the kiddos, how grand, right? So check it out, we are walking through the petting zoo and next to the bunny on steroids was a one eared goat!!!!! AND he was the snuggliest (totally not a word) goat I have ever met. He has totally made the top ten funniest things I've seen list, I HAD to share the pic!!!