Our Greatest Adventure

"For this child I have prayed and the Lord has granted the desires of my heart."
1 Samuel 1:27

Ryan and I have always wanted children, maybe a whole house full even, and ever since we got married I have been praying that God would bless us. It has been a rough year and a half planning for this bundle of joy, but we are excited for this next adventure of our lives!! Abby is too if you couldn't tell...the sun was in her eyes.


At my last doctor appointment I was told that come August, I would most likely be sent to a specialist in KC. So when I found out the news in June, I was beyond ecstatic! Another doctor I have to go to informed me months ago that if I were able to carry a child it would be a higher risk pregnancy and it would be a lot more likely for me to have a miscarriage.  I wanted the moment I told Ryan to be special and remembered no matter what God's path had in store for us. Since Ryan lives out of town during the week and some weekends, it was easier to keep Baby Stu a secret from him a little longer (2-3 weeks!) and get something planned. I got ahold of a videographer (she has done a couple other videos for us) to capture the moment and with a little help from Abby, my surprise was a perfect success!!

Baby Stu from Brooke Jessee on Vimeo.

No matter what this adventure holds, I know it is all apart of God's wonderful plan and I will rejoice! Please keep us in your prayers  during these next 6 months for a healthy pregnancy and also that God continues to work in Ryan and I's lives to help us prepare for raising God's most precious gifts!



JULY

July tastes like sweet corn on the cob, sounds like the bang of fireworks, and looks like fireflies dancing in the yard. Three of my favorite parts to summer!

This year my papa helped me start my own garden after watching him, the Garden King, the past few years. To my surprise, it has went extremely well!

Lettuce, carrots, 3 types of onions, potatoes, green beans, peas, corn, jalapenos, green peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and a few types of herbs.

I have learned so much! Throughout this process I have taken many notes...try a different lettuce, not as many onions, more potatoes...and the list goes on. If you have never planted a garden, YOU SHOULD!

March 5th

 

 March 29th

May 7th 

April 17th-First time harvesting lettuce. The seeds I used to plant the lettuce were some left over from my Papa's garden. Next year I am going to look for a different type that has a better flavor.

 Abby thinks she is the keeper of the garden.

June 8th-My first BIG harvest.

Since then I have dug up all of my potatoes and onions and am in the process of storing them for winter. I am excited to pick my corn this week! Next I need to pull out the beans and green beans to make way for pumpkins. I have my fingers crossed for them!

"If you have never experienced the joy of accomplishing more than you can imagine, plant a garden." -Robert Brault

BABY STU

Dear Baby Stu,

This morning I woke up around 9:30/10:00 because there was a storm last night and I didn't sleep well. I decided to make some Eggowaffles. I always remember my dad making them for me when I was little and I still have to cut them up the same way. As I put the waffles in the toaster I decided to go ahead and take a pregnancy test. I've felt pretty bloated lately and just a little off, but I still can't figure out why I decided to because over the last year and a half every time I had a hunch, I was always wrong. At my last doctor appointment I was told in August they would send me to a specialist in KC so I also kind of gave up hope. Well as I finished the test I was shutting the cabinet from getting another role of toilet paper and I looked down and there the word was. PREGNANT. It hadn't even been the 3 minutes..not even 2 minutes! I was certain that by the time the 3 minutes were up the word "Not" would show up in front of pregnant. Nope! Instead, 3+ weeks!! I don't think Abby (your doggy sister who has also been waiting patiently to find out about you) understood what was going on because I immediately started jumping up and down and squealing.

As much as I don't want to keep you a secret I have to for now until I can get into the doctor to learn you are healthy. Your daddy works in Manhattan right now and only gets to come home some weekends. He doesn't get to this weekend so I have to wait another week to tell him. I want to see his reaction so a call on the phone call won't suffice. I did call your cousin Ashley though. She is about the only one that has known we have been praying and trying for you, our little Studebaby, for awhile now. It felt so good to tell someone.

Also, I've only known about you for a few hours now and you've already been apart of one of God's miracles. You see, 2 years ago on this same day I found out my dad (your grandpa) had stage 4 cancer without the best hopes. Well, here we are 2 years later and he's doing great! He will be one awesome grandpa, just wait and see. This is now a day I will celebrate for a different reason..finding out about you baby Stu.  Knowing that day's significance puts me at ease that everything will be okay and I shouldn't worry about the risks regarding my health.

Let the adventures of Baby Stu begin!!!

xoxo,

Momma

  

I am pretty sure you had just started cooking in this picture, and for both of our sakes, lets take this moment to pray you cook better than I do.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

The first thing I did after I left the airport was find the nearest place to get a sweet tea! I love that when you ask for tea in the south you don't have to say sweet tea or ask for sugar. I also love that chicken and waffles are on just about every menu. That dish may not sound very good, but y'all have GOT to try it. The Black Cow served up the best I have ever had. If you are ever near Columbus, Georgia please do yourself a favor and eat there. 11th and Bay Southern Table was great also. In fact, this is where our family ate the first two nights it was so good!

Cheddar waffle topped with fried chicken and their house made bacon jam.

Now for the real reason Georgia is on my mind.

"...I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life. I am an American Soldier."

Hearing my cousin Danny speak these words at his graduation as a part of The Soldier's Creed, gave me the chills. I have many family members who have served and are currently serving as a part of our U.S. Army, but something about my little (yes, he will always be considered little) cousin continuing what seems to be the family business is bittersweet.

As an American, you should feel thankful you have someone like Danny helping protect our country. The word PROUD feels like an understatement as to how I feel about this boy.

Follow me.

Like father, like son.

Danny almost has his 1st week of Airborne school complete and in 2 more weeks he will graduate from Airborne and hopefully continue on to Ranger school. 

"God is my strength and my power, and he makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze."

2 Samuel 22:33-35

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Valentine's day is in less than a month so I decided I better start figuring out what I am going to do for Ryan. We have never really gave extravagant gifts to one another, but instead we have done something that makes each other feel special. Our very first Valentine's together I made Ryan a home cooked meal complete with his favorite food, ham. If you know me, you know how extremely difficult this was! Luckily, it all came together. Another year Ryan "hired" his roommate at the time to serve us dinner for two. It was so sweet. I am sure our love holiday will go somewhere along those lines.

Planning this years festivities for the national day of love really got me thinking about our wedding and everything that made it special to us. Our family surrounding us, the snow falling, the food prepared by our friends, and so much more that could never be put into words. Which got me also thinking...I never shared pictures or our beautiful video! It has been a little over a year since the big day and I could still watch it every day. I loved every minute second of that day from the moment I woke up next to my "baby" cousin Madison and running outside to a surprise snowfall to falling asleep next to my handsome husband in our first home together.

Our videographer, Brooke, also did a Save the Date video for us to tell our love story.

 

Save the Date Video 

 

Studebaker Wedding Video 

Our photographers also did a beautiful job with our book! Only a few of my favorites...

The boys really did clean up nice...and then there is C.J.

Ryan's grandpa Studebaker drove us away from our wedding in his 1923 Studebaker.

Fun Fact: 23 is our favorite number and our age in this photo.

How can you not absolutely adore this photo of Ryan's grandparents giving us marital advice?!

COFFEE & JESUS

...both are needed to make it through most days. Especially if you are a teacher. An elementary teacher. An elementary teacher returning from a two week break. Luckily for me, my cousin shared with me a Starbucks copy cat drink recipe over break. This drink also happens to be one of my favorites.

Iced White Chocolate Mocha with one pump of caramel, please!

                    Folgers Classic Roast (medium) - Starbucks Espresso Roast (dark) - White Chocolate chips - Caramel (optional)
                                                                     Not pictured- milk and optional whipped cream
For this particular recipe I use my reusable K-cup in my Keurig. I filled the first half of the K-cup with espresso and then the top half with coffee.
Before I brew the espresso/coffee mixture, I put one or two scoops of white chocolate chips in the coffee cup and pour in milk where it just tops the chips.

I melt this white chocolate chip/milk mixture in the microwave and stir. Once the chips are melted, I brew 8 oz. of the espresso/coffee mixture on top and stir. At this point, your drink is ready.

The next few steps are optional.

At this time I stir in caramel and then pour the drink over ice. Top with whipped cream and TA-DA.

ICED WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA with one pump of CARAMEL

Enjoy!

TWO THOUSAND SIXTEEN

Last year through the holidays I remember singing, "Have yourself a merry little Christmas, may your heart be light. Next year all your troubles will be out of sight," and praying it would be true. I'm so happy with how this year turned out. God has truly worked in my life this year. There may not have been what most would consider GREAT things that happened, but I accomplished what I hoped to do. Stay happy without stress and worry controlling my life. I can't wait to build on that and see what God has in store for us in 2016!!

2015 gave us so many memories.

January- We moved into to our first home together after we returned from our honeymoon. My great grandmother Mosler passed away the day after we returned. Ryan took me to see Garth Brooks in concert.

February- My dad's cancer scans were ALL CLEAR. Ryan and I's first holiday as husband and wife. It was very punny. >Here are our favorite puns< Our dog, Abby, at nearly 3 POUNDS OF CHOCOLATE and survived. 

April- We bought 10 acres on the pit I grew up on (Mosler's Resort) in hopes to build on it someday soon. 

May- Ryan's sister got married and my cousin Madi graduated high school. We attended several Blaster's baseball games. Ryan's grandpa lost his sweet wife.

June- We attended our first ever Chingawasa Days with my Aunt and Uncle and saw Casey Donahew for the billionth time. My cousin Danny graduated high school in North Carolina and was then sworn into the Army. We made it through another family campout, Great Gatsby style.

July- Our good friends Taylor and Alex were married. We started attending a new church in hopes of finding a fitting church home.

November- Spent the month being thankful for health. It has been about a year since our parents were dismissed from hospitals for health concerns.

December- My cousin Madi got engaged during Christmas dinner. Celebrated our FIRST Christmas as a married couple and then our FIRST anniversary by ice skating at Crown Center in Kansas City. It rained-no surprise.

This is the first weekend in 4 or 5 weeks we have been Ryan and I have been home. It was so nice to start this 1st Sunday morning of 2016 in church again. It has only been 3 days into the new year and so much is starting to play out already. We are seeing excitement and challenges in our coming future, but with my amazing husband by my side and God guiding us we can not fail.

"God will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He will guide me with His eye."
Psalm 32:8