Kindergarten Celebration!

Callie has officially completed her Kindergarten year! Wow, a first grader! We are so proud of her and all the growth that we witnessed this year! She is reading, has beautiful writing and loves to draw! At her celebration ceremony she received a character award for creativity and diligence in her work! Its been a year of transitions and lots of change for Callie and she has handled it wonderfully! She started at Lorien Wood in Vienna, VA with Mrs. Maffei as her teacher and moved mid-year to NH and attended Portsmouth Christian Academy in Mrs. Brown's class! We love you Callie!

Character award from Mrs. Nobles

A hug from Mrs. Brown

May Highlights

Everybody says it but where has this month gone! I know that I am sleep deprived but where oh where did the month of May go? Here are some quick highlights of the last month with a few pictures!

- Libby and Mom come home from the hospital, May 1
-Callie starts T-ball. She is on the Texas Rangers (she often refers to them as the Texas RANCHERS!) Charlie loves to play in the field during Callie's practices and games! May 2
-Mimi and Grandy Bob come to visit Libby Ann! A short but sweet 36 hour trip! May 2 - 3.
-Callie turns 6! Celebrated with cousins at Chuckie Cheese! May 6
-Mother's Day. Slept in, church, yummy dinner and clean car! Couldn't ask for more! May 10
-Auntie April comes to visit from Virginia! Mommy and April got to go out to dinner with no kids! Made lemonade, drove by the beach, yard sales, t-ball game, lunch on the river and just hanging out! So fun! May 15-17
-Closed on house! Will move in July! May 21
-Memorial Day Weekend, Anderson's visit! (Aunt Nikki, cousin Carter and Taylor, Andy and Kay) more t-ball, catching up, and seafood lunch! May 22-25
-Cousin Charlotte Kathryn Mislock is born in Virginia! May 23
-Libby is one month old! May 27
-Spring Fling at PCA! Family fun at Callie's school! May 29
-Celebrated cousins' Lily and Clara's birthdays! May 31

Wow! What a month! All is good here! Callie finishes up school in two weeks! Charlie is looking forward to our trip to Virginia in June to see his cousins! Libby is starting to try to smile, sleeping pretty well, and getting loved on from everyone! Rob and I are starting to train for the Army 10 miler in October! We both ran last week and were pretty sore so we are starting slowly!

Prayer Requests for June:
Safe travel for Kate and the 3 kids to VA!
Strong finish to the school year for Callie!
Special time for Charlie and Mommy!
Libby to sleep through the night!!!
Rob for the Lord's leading and timing!
Endurance for Kate; physical, spiritual and emotional!

Coming home from the hospital.

T-ball

Copeland Family with Mimi and Grandy Bob!

Callie turns 6!

Auntie April visits!

Trying to smile?!

Anderson's visit!

Libby is one month old!

too cute!

Bath time and found her thumb!

Elizabeth Ann Copeland

Elizabeth Ann Copeland was born Monday, April 27 at 8:23 in the morning via c-section. She weighed 6lbs 14oz (same weight as big bro Charlie) and was 18.75 in long. She has light brown hair and resembles Charlie but definitely has a lot of her own features too!


Sunday the 26th I was feeling very pregnant but not necessarily thinking that labor was imminent. I had what I was calling "tremors" throughout the day, little contractions that had increased but were not in a pattern. I had seen my doctor on Friday and was still 2cm dilated and 70% effaced so she said it could be this weekend or it could be another week! Went to bed that evening and awoke around 12:30 with contractions every 2-3 minutes. I decided to wait and see if they maintained the pattern and intensity so at 1:30 I tapped Rob and said, "Robbie, I am having contractions every 2 minutes." He looked at me with one eye open and said, "Good to know." and then rolled over to go back to sleep. I tapped him again and said, "It's time to call the doctor." "In a few hours." he replied. I didn't agree with that time frame and went ahead and called. She told us to come in and get things checked out.

We finally arrived at the hospital around 2:30. They hooked me up and I was indeed contracting every 2-3 minutes but when they checked there had been no change in my dilation. So they decided not to admit me but "observe" me and also give me an IV to see if I was just dehydrated. I was totally bummed and having been in the hospital the week before for 5 hours only to be sent home I was really ready to meet this baby! The contractions began to subside a bit around 4 but then at 5am they came back with a vengeance. I was in lots of pain, to the point of tears and thinking that if I am having a c-section than I am not interested in laboring with this kind of pain. The nurses had told me that they could see my monitors at their nurses station so I didn't call them in and was wondering why no one was coming to check on me. Around 6:30 a nurse came in and saw that I was in pain, looked at the monitor and was like, "Why didn't you call us! I need to get the doctor in here, it looks like you are in labor and will be having a baby today!" My doctor arrived around 7:30 and she too looked at the monitors and thought that I was in true labor and decided to check me internally. Well turns out I was pretty much the same, just more effaced! Everyone was surprised because based on the intensity of my contractions and their frequency there should have been change. My doctor than asked me about a prior surgery that I had on my cervix and it turns out that the scar tissue from that surgery has created a "ring" around the cervix and was keeping it at 2cm. As the doctor said almost acting like a natural cerclage. (A cerclage is a stitch that they sometimes put in to keep you from dilating too early and preventing pre-term birth. There had been lots of discussion if I should have one done due to past pregnancies. We decided not to for various reasons.) The doctor then said that if that scar tissue were to break right now I would be at 8cm within moments! At this point in the story I want to clearly give thanks to God for this "natural stitch" as I believe that is why I was able to carry Libby full term with no medications or bed rest! God is good and creative! :)

Our room quickly came alive with nurses and doctors prepping us for the c-section. I was in the OR by 7:55 and Elizabeth Ann was born at 8:23. She came out screaming and kicking! The doctors and nurses commented on her "chestnut" colored hair and said she was a beauty! Her apgar scores were 9 and she was breathing with no problems. Rob was able to cut the cord and to hold her. They stitched me up and rolled me into my room and I was holding her and nursing by 9:00am! I am in the hospital for 5 days due to the section and am enjoying bonding with her and recovering before taking on Mommy duties to 3 kids!

Callie and Charlie have had a great time holding her when they visited me! Callie told me yesterday, "She's just like we ordered her, healthy!" And when Charlie first saw her he pulled back her blanket and said "She's beautiful!"

Thanks for all your prayers throughout this pregnancy! We are overjoyed and so blessed by God's gift of three beautiful and healthy children, our daily prayer is that they grow up to know Him personally and delight in His perfect plan for their lives!

Praises, Prayers and Photo Updates!

Sorry that is has been so long since my last blog entry! Here are some praises, prayer requests, and photo updates from the last month or so.....

The kids:
Callie is continuing to enjoy school and is making great progress with her reading! She has made some new friends and will start T-Ball this week! She is on the Texas Rangers but she keeps telling everyone that she is on the Texas Ranchers! :) She recently learned how to tie her shoes too! (We feel bad that we didn't teach her how to sooner as we took advantage of all the cute shoes that don't require this skill so as to make life easier!) Callie is very excited for her 6th birthday that is just two weeks away!

Charlie is still our sweet boy who gives great hugs and kisses. However, he also continue to get into a bit of trouble when he clearly chooses to disobey all the while with a devious smile on his face! We were hoping to break the thumb sucking habit before the baby arrives but due to all the changes he has endured and then with the baby coming I have decided to overlook this one vice for the time being! Charlie is very excited for his sports camp this summer!

Here are a couple recent shots of them:

My new favorite picture of them! They are actually both looking at the camera!

Easter morning!

Checking out the loot the Easter bunny left in their buckets!

Rob and Kate:

Rob recently celebrated his 31st birthday with a family cookout and a round of golf! He has also made some great connections with some men from church and enjoys weekly breakfasts with them! He has also begun getting involved in some volunteer work for some great organizations. He has been asked to read the proclamation at the National Day of Prayer on May 7th at the town green in Greenland, NH! He completed his CFP exam in March but won't know the results till late May. He is looking forward to the golf season getting underway....it's short and sweet up here in New England!

I am feeling and looking very pregnant! I actually spent a few hours yesterday in L&D all hooked up with contractions and everything but they weren't in enough of a pattern to get the green light for delivery! So I was sent home with the thought that she may arrive in the next few days! We will keep you posted! A huge praise is that I am officially 37 weeks today, term! No strict bed rest or medications with this pregnancy! Please pray for a safe delivery (it will be a c-section) and healthy baby girl with no breathing issues!

Rob with the kids on his birthday!

Housing:

We officially are under contract today! Praise the Lord! This has been an incredibly long and emotionally draining experience for us over the last year and a half! From the prep and sale of our townhouse in VA to the housing search up here in NH! We are very excited that we found a place that we both liked and could agree despite having to each give up a few dream home visions! In the end we believe that God has a purpose for us here in NH and we are excited to meet and be apart of this neighborhood/community! A family friend sent us a great scripture yesterday that really touched us! Acts 17:26-27 "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him..."

House in Exeter Farms!

Thank you all so much for your prayers, emails and phone calls the last few months as I have at times been discouraged regarding the home search! You all will never know how much I felt loved by you and the Lord through this season of life!

Please continue to pray for the transition to the new home (we won't occupy it till early July), the transition to a family of five and for us as individuals and as a family as we begin to establish roots and relationships in NH!

Next post will contain baby news.....stayed tuned!

Pregnancy Update and picture of Kate Pregnant :)

I thought I would bring everyone up to date on the pregnancy as we have now officially entered the third trimester! Yippee!
As many of you know, I don't particularly like any pictures of me taken while I am pregnant for lots of reasons. Anyway, I thought since this is our last baby and since most of you haven't seen me in a few months I would oblige. Scroll down to bottom of post. :)
Update: During my last pregnancy with Charlie I was on bed rest at 28 weeks so I have been monitored a bit more closely throughout this pregnancy. I am currently 29 weeks and so far things are looking pretty good. I was a bit concerned this past weekend as I was experiencing some contractions that were not letting up with bed rest so I called the doctor's office Monday morning and they had me go to L&D at the hospital. To be honest I really didn't want to do that and thought that everything was fine but just wanted to make sure given my history. Turns out everything was fine, I was contracting but they weren't too concerned and I am also 50% effaced. So I was told to continue on my modified bed rest and follow up with the doctor.
So this takes us to yesterday's Doctor's visit. (Background info: I am planning on attending the Women's retreat at my old church in Virginia with my sister next weekend.)I got up the courage to ask if they felt comfortable with me traveling and was thrilled when she said I could go because of some test they did at the hospital showed that I was not in danger of going into labor in the next two weeks! So turns out it was worth the hospital trip after all! The rest of the appointment went well except for the part that I gained 10 pounds in 3 weeks! See picture below as proof! :) Gotta lay off the sweets! They did an ultra sound to check cervical length and it is shortening but so far still alright. Got to see the baby but she was face down and wouldn't give us a good picture. The u/s tech said she weights approx. 3.2lbs already and that she sees that she has hair! Not surprising as her older sister had a whole head full, highlights and all! A date has also been set for my c-section, May 8th. So if I don't go into labor before then May 8th is the big day. Callie's birthday is the 6th and she is actually hoping that they'll get to share a birthday, we'll see!



Well......it is a picture of "Kate" pregnant just not me! :) It's Kate, from Jon and Kate plus 8! I may only have one baby in my womb but I certainly feel like I look huge!
Will keep you all posted!

Just like you see in the movies....

Early Wednesday morning, Feb. 11th, Mike arrived safely on US soil! And we were able to meet his plane in Bangor, Maine to welcome him home after a 15 month deployment in Iraq!
It was a total God thing and the timing was perfect! We had an idea as the days approached when he would be arriving back in the states but we weren't sure what plane he was on or where exactly it would stop for fuel before heading to Texas! After lots of phone calls, sleuthing on the Internet, and prayers we decided we had a 50/50 shot that he would be arriving in Bangor at 4:30am on Wednesday. (There are approx 20,000 troops in his division that have all been coming home the last few days and we were trying to track down the one plane of 300 soldiers that he was on and due to security etc...they aren't able to give details as to when and where planes are arriving.) Tuesday evening after dinner, my parents and sister and I all packed in the car for a road trip 3 hours north to Maine! We arrived at the hotel and promptly went to bed knowing we would be up early to meet the flight. We got to the airport a little after 4am the next morning and eagerly awaited the plane's arrival. We kept asking one another, "Do you think he is on it??!!" Remember, we weren't sure and Mike didn't even know that we were trying to meet the plane! Finally, we saw the plane land and the soldiers started to come down the walkway!
Praise the Lord! There was Mike, about the 5th or 6th soldier off the plane! He immediately recognized my father and then holding back tears realized that we were really all there!
It was a scene out of the best scripted movie...lots of group hugs, tears of joy and relief, and of course smiles from ear to ear! It was so great to see him and as my mother said a huge weight off her shoulders knowing he was home! We were able to spend about an hour and half with him, having some breakfast, catching up, meeting friends and co-soldiers and hugging some more! The time was short but incredibly sweet! Mike made a quick call to Christy in Texas letting her know that he was headed her way! One more round of hugs, some quick pictures and off he went on the last leg of his journey home to Texas to reunite with Christy and the kids! It was dream like as we looked around after they all boarded the plane and the airport was empty!
Mike called later that afternoon and reported that they had a wonderful reunion with the family and that it was so great to be home after 15 long months! God is good and faithful and His timing is perfect! To Him be the glory! Thank you all for your prayers for Mike and his family during the deployment!

Sweetly broken....

My apologies for not posting sooner and keeping up as frequently as I originally had planned when I started this blog. To be honest I just haven't felt like there was much to write about that would be of any interest to you all and I also don't have any new pictures to post. (Well that's not entirely true. I do but they are of the kids again in the snow and after looking at them they look like all the other pics that we have of them in the snow since there is so much snow!) Anyway back to my thoughts....I have decided to just post about what is really going on in my head and heart right now. Its not all fun and happy looking but please be assured that my focus is upward and I am persevering. When the Lord revealed to Rob and me over two years ago that we would one day head to NH to live I never imagined that it would look like this! In fact, as many of you know I wasn't to thrilled with the thought to begin with but trusted the Lord to change my heart and also knew that with obedience brings blessings! In fact, as I look back on the last two years, the Lord has been incredibly faithful and the blessings are bountiful. He even slowly changed my heart; I developed a deep desire to follow the Lord's leading, wanted to follow the leadership of my husband, and even had moments of excitement at the adventure ahead! All that being true I write today feeling disappointed. I keep trying to let go of my hopes, desires, and expectations and let the Lord give me His dreams for my life but its so hard! We are fast approaching a year that we have been out of our own home and living with both sets of parents. I ache for my own home, decorated with my things, surrounded with my memories and pictures, setting up my kids rooms with their toys and books and just being myself with out a mask on all the time. As my sister loving pointed out to me God is being merciful with me and slowly showing me how to be content in all situations and removing the barriers from around me. As the song Sweetly Broken says, "drawing me gently to my knees, holy surrender." Tears for frustration and sadness and even anger stain my cheeks as I wonder when I will see the fruit in this experience. I know in my head that it is for my good and I trust with my heart that His ways are perfect. And I write this entry to let you, my friends and family, know better how to pray for me and to even better know my heart. Sorry to ramble, thanks for caring and loving me. Promise some pictures next time.