Andy's 4th Birthday!

This sweet boy turned 4 years old on July 3rd.  We had a fun party with family and then did fireworks afterwards.  

 Joy made this great poster for Andy's birthday and she decorated the house with other rockets and decorations.  She's so sweet (click on the picture to see it up close).

 I tried making my first cake in a shape.  It took a lot of time, but it was really fun to make and Andy and the kids thought it was great.

We sure love our sweet, smart Andy.  I was really worried he would have a hard time with the baby, but he adores him and he's really matured since the baby came.  The biggest problem with Andy and the baby is all the love he wants to show him with kisses and hugs and other attention.  It's very sweet (and sometimes terrifying).  I'm so grateful Andy joined our family 4 years ago.  He'll go to preschool this Fall, and kindergarten in a year.  Growing up so fast!

Love,

Aubrey

Sisters

I love these pictures (I know most of you have probably seen them, but I wanted them here for posterity).  I wanted to take these pictures to have something to always remember the sweet blessing of these babies.  They are each a miracle in their own way and they were born two weeks apart.  Shortly after I lost my baby in 2016, I had a spiritual experience where I thought I saw two young children the same height.  I couldn't make out any details, but it felt like they were coming.  I wondered if I would have twins in the future.  A few months later I found out I was expecting and then Chrissy told me she was expecting also.  That gave my experience a new meaning.  It gave me hope through a very anxious pregnancy, that there were two babies coming, one for each of us.  And here they are.

Baby Daniel Pictures

I took some cute pictures of Daniel recently.  He's so sweet, we feel so blessed.

 

Introducing Daniel Baker Rogers

Daniel Baker Rogers was born on May 12th, 2017 at 2:34pm.  He weighed 6 lb 8 oz and was 19 1/4 inches long.  He's a mild, sweet baby (so far) and we adore him.  After a long, anxious pregnancy, we are so grateful to have him here safe and sound.

 I love this picture, even though it may be a little much for some people (sorry).  He had is eyes open right at birth, while he was still halfway inside me.  Kind of like he was saying, "See, I'm okay."

 My recovery has gone pretty well besides some exhaustion and anemia.  Mark has been so helpful so that I can get enough rest.  Baby is also starting to sleep a little better at night which is helping.

Sweet blonde baby boy.

 Tired, happy Mommy and baby

Sweet baby sleepy smile.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers during this pregnancy.  We're so grateful for our families here who have provided help with kids and meals and so many things.  We love you all so much!

Love, Aubrey

Almost Spring Update

It's been awhile since I posted, but I haven't taken many pictures lately.  This winter has been a doozy.  Boise got more snow than it has in decades, and it was cold so the snow stayed for months.  We are so ready for spring this year.  

 Here's some pictures of the kids playing in snow in the backyard, it was so deep.  Andy was so cute, he tried to play in his toy car but then exclaimed- "my truck is stuck, my truck is stuck!"  

He's so cute and it was really stuck.

My pregnancy has been somewhat complicated as usual, but things are looking pretty good right now.  Just a couple months left and we are hopeful.  It will be so fun to have a baby so close to Chrissy's new baby.  We have the same great doctor, so it would be super funny (though unlikely) if we had our babies on the same day.

 Sweet BethAnne turned 14 on February 24th.  She is such a sweet, helpful, faithful, smart girl.  I am so impressed with her goodness and strength.  She helped Mark make and decorate her cake and she did a great job.  She loves baking, cooking, reading, gardening, dogs and learning.

BethAnne's health has been more of a struggle lately. Her kidneys and health in general seem to be getting worse.  She had gotten to the point where she felt like she needed to drink huge amounts of water to not be thirsty.  This was throwing off other systems in her body and making her sodium dangerously low.  She also started to get really (dangerously) high blood pressure which we didn't know about for a couple months.  She ended up in the hospital last week for 4 days so the doctors could run tests and bring her fluid levels down while making sure she didn't get actually dehydrated, some kidney patients do need tons of water to stay hydrated so they needed to see how much she really needed.  They were able to cut her water intake in half, from about 8 liters to 4 liters a day (still a lot, but not as crazy).  Her sodium levels are better now, but it has been an adjustment for her because she often feels dehydrated and thirsty (exhausted, faint, fuzzy headed).  The doctors are hoping that her body gets used to this level of fluid, and they hope to take it down even further.  She is starting to feel a little better now and she's getting back to her normal routine for the most part.  As a parent, you just want your child to have the most normal life possible, so this has been difficult.  Insurance and doctor guidelines make it so that you have to be really far into kidney failure to have a transplant, and we are actually pretty far from that point (if her bloodwork is accurate), so I'm concerned about how ill she will be once she qualifies to have a new kidney.  We will try to be positive though.  Luckily BethAnne bears all things with such humility and grace, now I have to do the same (it's harder when it's your child).  That's my update for now.  I hope you all have a lovely spring, can't wait to see many of you this summer!

Love, Aubrey

December 2016

December began with our family tradition of decorating gingerbread houses.  This year we used graham crackers and homemade icing and it was great fun.  (From left to right- Andy, Mom, Grace, Dad, BethAnne and Joy).  So much fun!

 Then on December 7th, BethAnne sang at the Morrison Center (the nicest performing arts center in the region) as part of the Youth Chorus of the Treasure Valley Millennial Choirs and Orchestras.  It was a great concert and a great experience for BethAnne.  She loves being a part of that choir.

 Here's Andy playing in the snow.  We've had more snow in the last month than we've had in decades.  It's been fun but we're ready for it to melt.  You'll be happy to note that since this picture, we have finally purchased snow pants and boots for Andy that are not pink.  :)

 A highlight of the month was going sledding.  I think it was a first for Andy and he thought is was the funnest thing ever.  

I love this picture of Andy sledding with his eyes closed.  Sheer joy! 

We had a lovely Christmas this year, starting with Church and then going home for our devotional, presents and a yummy brunch.  It was a fun day though mom was pretty tired by the end of it.

 Andy got a new tool set and rocket tent.  He loves his new toys.

 Pretty Grace

  Happy Mark was so helpful as always, assembling toys and helping anyway he could.

 BethAnne got some great books from Grandma (about dogs and about writing short stories)

Andy insisted that I play with him in his new rocket tent.  It was a bit of a squeeze, but we had fun.

 Right before Christmas, Mark went to Utah to pick up our new car.  It's a 12-seater van.  I know it's a little crazy, but we felt impressed that it was something we should get and we searched and prayed long and hard until we found the right one.  It will help us have plenty of room once the new baby comes.

Speaking of the new baby, we are expecting a baby boy in May.  We are nervous after two late losses, but we are hopeful.  The baby looked healthy at my 19 week appointment, he was measuring over 20 weeks.  We pray that all will go well.

That's our latest update.  We hope you are all happy and healthy and have a fantastic 2017!

October and November 2016

 I'm doing some catch-up posts.  Here are some pictures from the fall.  The kids had fun in the leaves at the end of October.

 I got to take my girls to see Hilary weeks at the end of October.  She is one of their favorite artists and it was a great concert.  I am so grateful to have these sweet girls in my life and I look forward to many outings like this in our future.

 Here's Joy on Halloween.  She designed her own costume.  She's a Pokemon trainer.  So cute!

 Here's a very sweet poem written by Joy in November.  She is wise beyond her years

And here is a turkey made by Joy

And lastly, here is Andy in his new church outfit.  He's growing up so handsome.