a little thought to share

Josh's sweet Aunt Holly send me this Max Lucado devotional yesterday.

I thought it was just wonderful and wanted to share it with y'all.

Merry, Merry Christmas!

God's Great Gifts

Thanks be to God for his gift

that is too wonderful for words.

2 Corinthians 9:15

Why did he do it?  A shack would have sufficed, but he gave us a mansion.  Did he have to give the birds a song and the mountains a peak?  Was he required to put stripes on the zebra and the hump on the camel?...Why wrap creation in such splendor?  Why go to such trouble to give such gifts?

Why do you?  You do the same.  I've seen you searching for a gift.  I've seen you stalking the malls and walking the aisles.  I'm not talking about the obligatory gifts...I'm talking about that extra-special person and that extra-special gift...Why do you do it?  You do it so the heart will stop.  You do it so the jaw will drop.  You do it to hear those words of disbelief, "You did this for me?"

That's why you do it.  And that's why God did it.  

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way.  

Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it?  I did it just for you."

(Max Lucado, the Great House of God)

the most wonderful time of the year

Christmas has been in full swing around our house since the day after Thanksgiving!  All of the fall decorations took their place back in the attic, and the lights and garland adorned the mantel.  Josh had a fun experience hanging the lights on our house for the first time...  And our tree has been quite a pest, to say the least.  THE tree was selected, brought home, centered perfectly in its base, lit and decorated.  Only a few minutes later we noticed that it was leaning a little to the right.  The tilt was fixed, only to find it laying on the couch the next morning.  So, sweet Josh came home and fixed it on his lunch break.  It fell again right after he left.  All in all the tree has fallen 5 times...next year we are getting a smaller tree.  But for now, my ingenious husband rigged wire and bolted it into the window sills to hold it in place.  The tree still leans a tad bit forward.

No matter which direction the tree is leaning or whether its standing straight up or against the window, Cade is absolutely fascinated by the bright lights and ornaments.  He could sit/lay in front of the tree all day and stare at the pretty colors!  He is our inspiration.  Our prayer has been that we would find as much wonder and excitement in celebrating Christmas as Cade does.  How fulfilling to celebrate Jesus' birth with a wonder-filled heart.  We've been reading a chapter of Luke every night to focus our hearts on the real reason of Christmas.  Yes, lights, garland, trees, ornaments, cookies, and presents are wonderful things, but the reason for all of it is to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  The biggest birthday celebration of the year!  I pray that you too will be filled with awe and wonder as you and your family celebrate the real reason for CHRISTmas.

Here are some pictures of our little gift...
punkin.

 wonder.

 

 

 Lots of packages have been arriving at our house lately, so Cade got to play in the peanuts!

 

Merry Christmas!
Love, The Meeh Fam

wonderfully made

I was working on some stuff at my computer today, and as it happens so often, I was distracted. Distracted by pictures of baby Cade.  Not of his first days in the hospital, or our trip home, or his smile, or bathtime, but of his very first picture.  The first time we ever saw him, only 11 weeks old, still inside of me.  It brings tears to my eyes to think how God formed Cade from his first day of life when he was as small as a period on this page into the 14+ lb. precious baby boy that I get to feed, hold, rock, sing to, comfort, and love each and every day.  Josh and I are incredibly blessed parents.  Blessed by Cade's life and by the opportunity to see how God created Cade from the very beginning. What a powerful and mighty God we serve! 

his very first picture

our precious boy

 

Psalm 139:13-14
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

all. night. long.

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cade slept from 10:30pm to 6:30 am! I was the happiest mommy in the world this morning! To put a cherry on top, he rolled over 5 times today, too! I'm just so proud of him! Enjoy some more pictures of the sleeping-all-night-rolling-over-pro...

i thought CM stood for cade maddox - looks like it really stands for cookie monster 

 swinging in lambie and sucking on binky ~ happy boy

trying out his big boy bed

I'm entering this photo in a "cutest baby contest" 

 

chunky legs are mom's favorite!

Time is FLYING by! Baby Cade is already 10 weeks old! He changes every day and is cooing and smiling all. the. time. We went for his 2 month check-up a couple of weeks ago and were blown away by how much he had grown!  When his sweet Dr. saw him she said "Who is that baby? Are you sure that's Cade?"  After that we knew he would have a great weigh in...he weighed a whopping 13 lbs and 2 oz and was 22 in long.  He had gained 5 1/2 lbs and grown 2 3/4 inches since he was born.  His new nickname is "Chunker"! I love the fat rolls on his legs, all signs of a healthy baby boy!  Here are some recent pics of Chunker...
                                                              smile!

check out that boy's chunky legs

 

 happy boy

 

 cold bath water?

 

 already loves those aggies

 

last week was grandude's birthday...we found

these shirts and couldn't resist! They were a big hit.

 

 That same night Grandude presented us with a book he wrote called "The Crib Story."  What an amazing story about how he lovingly crafted Cade's crib!  Grandude is so thoughtful and did a wonderful job.  I am sure it will be one of Cade's favorite bedtime stories.

chunky legs are mom's favorite!

lots and lots of pumpkins!

Fall is my favorite! It brings crisp, cool air (hypothetically-if you don't live in TX) and is the beginning of a wonderful holiday season! Mom and I made a precious wreath for the front door, my pumpkin hand towels were in the kitchen, the festive leaf plates were hanging on the wall, and my Yankee spice candle was burning. Yet something was missing... Pumpkins! We needed three pumpkins for the porch, a Josh, a Liz, and a Cade pumpkin. How do we solve the problem? Go to the pumpkin patch! With Cade dressed in his "My First Halloween" onsie we set off on our adventure. Josh's mom was our photographer and she captured many great moments...even though Cade slept most of the time! Enjoy the photos! Now, our home looks even more "fall-y."

Fall Blessings to All!

he so knows how cute he is
Cade's pumpkin!
my two cute boys
my little pumpkin

these are a few of his favorite things...

bath time


long walks through the park with mom

personalized cookies

FBBA teachers
hanging out with dad

going for rides in the car


fort bend county fair parade

hanging out with the turgeons
aggie football games


LSM tailgate

Cade Maddox Meeh

Wow! I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I last posted. I have sat down twice to begin writing a new post, but just about that time Cade would let me know he was hungry. I'll make up for the late posting with lots of pictures!

Cade Maddox Meeh was born on August 28, 2009 at 11:20 am. He was 7lbs 9oz and 19 1/4 in long. He is the most precious gift that God has given Josh and I as a couple. Cade is so perfectly created, and makes our family more complete. We are so thankful that God gave us the gift of being his parents and raising him in a home that serves the Lord.

our new family :)
Cade's Welcoming Team
Welcome Home Baby Cade!

We love watching him no matter what he's doing - whether he is rocking in his lamb swing, sucking on his binky, sleeping, observing his surroundings, etc. He makes the cutest faces and we are really learning his personality and preferences. By the time he was just 2 days old we knew that he didn't like his hands to be swaddled inside the blanket. He loves touching his face and sucking on his fingers. His neck is getting stronger, and he loves looking at the things going on around him. In a week from today he'll be 1 month old. WOW! I can't believe how fast the time has gone. He has changed so much since the day he was born. He is growing chunkier and longer :) I really like chunky babies and can't wait for him to have the cute leg rolls and chubby cheeks.

Lambie Swing - His favorite place besides our arms

what a precious face

I must say that Josh and I absolutely adore him, but the new grandparents are crazy about him, too! They just melt when they hold him, and we love watching them fall more and more in love with Cade each time they see him. Our dads are just precious to watch. Grandude and Champ melt into a puddle when they hold Cade. It's priceless. We're so blessed to have such wonderful parents who love being involved in our lives!

Mimi and Champ
Mama C and Grandude Aunt Margo

In addition to being cood over by grandparents, Cade has gotten to meet all of his great-grandparents - Nina, Great Grandmomma, Grand Mimi, Great Grandpa & Dagmar, and Popo the Great. I love how he was the baby who changed most of their titles, from grandparent to great-grandparent. We have taken many 4 generation pictures which are precious to all of us. One picture that was especially important to me was the one with Nina (my mom's mom). She had become very ill before Cade's birth, and I prayed that they would have the opportunity to meet each other. She went home to be with Jesus last Sunday, and a week before she passed we took Cade to meet Nina. What a precious day that was. She was such a wonderful grandmother. A true example of how to live life honoring God, loving family, and serving others. She was a blessing to us all! I am so thankful that she was an example to my mom of how to be a caring mother because she is now an example to me.

4 generation picture with Nina
4 generation picture with Grandmommy
Popo the Great and Cade
Grand Mimi and Cade
Great Grandpa & Cade

Each day is new and exciting! Thank you for your prayers for Cade and our family. God has been so faithful in answering them. On those mornings when I don't remember ever being so tired, God gives me the strength I need to meet Cade's needs. What a faithful and powerful God we serve! Blessings to you all!

Love, The Meeh Family

Josh made a slideshow of the first few days of his life - click here to view more pics of Baby Cade!

4cm - pick a day, any day!

We have BIG news....

We went to the doctor this afternoon, and I am now 4cm dilated! Since I've made so much progress, Dr. McDonald said the wait was over and let us pick the day we wanted to have him. No pressure or anything. We pick his name AND his birthday? WHEW! I like even numbers and dates that look good together soooo... We're going to the hospital early Friday morning to be induced! The date: August 28 or 8/28. Perfect.

We are SOOOO excited! Just two more days until we meet our little guy.. How amazing!

We'll try to post pictures of him as soon as possible and are so excited to officially release his name!

Much Love,
Josh and Liz

any day now

These last 5 days have been quite eventful...beginning with my doctor's appointment on Wednesday morning...

We went in having prayed for weeks that he would have flipped and be head first - prayer answered! The bonus news was that I was already 3 cm dilated! I was SOOO excited & Josh is now, but it took him a little while to let the news sink in. After he realized we still possibly had a few days to a couple of weeks he calmed down and was excited, too. So, the waiting and wondering and preparing began. We finished some important tasks - buying newborn diapers, packing bags for the hospital, washing baby clothes in Dreft (special baby detergent) etc. Every time I make a "gasp" or say "ouch" Josh quickly asks if I am alright and rushes to my side. My responsibilities around the house have dwindled to almost nothing, without my request. Josh and others seem to believe that doing a chore could send me straight to the hospital. No complaints there.

I also discovered the great power that I now have over people in their urgency to answer my phone calls. My mom now answers her cell phone on the 1st ring, which has never before happened in the history of mom and cell phones. I called Dad last week and he urgently answered, just to find out I had a simple question... I was then put on hold. Lindi answered my call at 1:00 am Saturday morning - she admitted that the only reason she answered was because she thought I was in labor. Anna Kat answered her phone today and before I could even say hello she asked "Do you have a baby?" These are just a FEW of the examples...I'm really going to miss this!

This past weekend was an absolute blast for us both. All of his best friends came into town and spent Friday/Saturday nights at our house. Yes, I am 9 months pregnant and 11 people stayed at my house last weekend. Call me crazy, but it was so fun! On Saturday, my best friends also came into town for a baby shower that Caroline and her mom hosted. It was so precious! From the diaper cake to the blue baby booties on the cupcakes and every detail in between, the day was so special. Josh and I are both incredibly blessed to be surrounded by such amazing, Godly friends!

I go to another doctor's appointment on Wednesday, and I am just hoping that she says "Well, looks like we're going to have a baby today!" But if she doesn't, I will continue to be patient and know that he'll arrive in God's perfect timing! Thank you for ALL of your prayers and love! We can't wait for each of you to meet him!

the bump travels to san diego

Last week Josh and I made the trip to San Diego for Dan (Josh's brother) and Lauren's wedding! We had such a great vacation, and loved celebrating their special day with them. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and everyone had a fabulous time! Our little guy got so excited when the church organ started playing...he was going crazy inside when Lauren walked down the aisle! Josh and I especially enjoyed the opportunity to get away and spend time together. We went to the zoo -the monkeys were our favorite, toured the USS Midway - a retired Navy vessel, walked on the beach, window shopped, and had a breakfast date at a precious sidewalk cafe on Coronado Island, along with enjoying all of the wedding festivities. I was so thankful for easy travel on the airplane and plenty of energy to enjoy all that the beautiful city had to offer!

the view of downtown from coronado island



Our due date is exactly one month from tomorrow! WHOO HOO! I know he may not be on time, but we've been praying that he will be a little bit early so Margaret can meet him before she heads off to Argentina. It would be so wonderful for her to be there when he's born. We all hope and pray that's part of God's plan!

Other than that, the nursery has been finished. The last thing to do is hang the letters of his name on the wall - which we can't do until he's born b/c his name is a secret ;) So, his nursery is ready whenever he is!

I can't help but wonder if this may be the last blog post written before he "pops!" If he decides to hold out a little longer, I may get another post written before his big debut...

the crib has arrived!

What an eventful last week we've had around here...the nursery is SO close to being complete! Last weekend Josh finished painting the nursery, and on Friday night his parents delivered the crib. Josh's dad "The Grandude" is a very talented carpenter! One of the first things he said after we told him that we were pregnant was "Well, I better get working on a crib." Josh and I picked out a design and pattern that we liked, and ever since then he has worked many, many hours on creating the perfect crib! It's going to be a family heirloom passed on through all our children, and then one day onto their children as well. Thanks Grandude and Mama C! As soon as the crib was in the nursery, I immediately began putting on the bedding. It's so precious! We are going to have another little sailor in the family. Sometimes I just walk back to the nursery, peer in , smile, and soak everything detail up. Our little guy will be here so soon!


6 weeks, or less left to go.... It's unbelievable how quickly the pregnancy has gone by. At this point, I would be glad for him to come a couple of weeks early. Technically, he is full term anywhere from 36-40 weeks, so he just needs to hold out a couple more! Last week Josh and I were thinking through all that we have going on between now and the "due date" and we realized that this weekend might be one of the last weekends that we have for a while, without any plans, or without focusing most of our attention on our baby. So, Josh planned such a fun date day/night yesterday. We woke up and made blueberry pancakes, went thrift shopping for our house(one of my new favorite nesting hobbies) and then went to Barnum & Bailey's Circus "The Greatest Show on Earth" and ate a delicious late night snack at The Cheesecake Factory! We made such fun memories!

As for my nesting, it's been quite successful! The majority of my list has been completed. Thanks to my wonderful husband :) I have been cleaning like a crazy woman, organizing everything from the laundry room to closets, painting a chandelier and nursery furniture (outside so the fumes won't bother me), and setting up baby things. My wonderful mom also taught me how to sew! I felt like that was something my mom resume needed. So, we made pillows for our outdoor furniture! She's a great teacher, and they are just adorable - adding a nice pizazz to the front porch.


Working on the Chandelier -BEFORE


AFTER

This week we are heading to San Diego for Josh's brother's wedding. The trip is cutting it close to my 5 week traveling mark, but I'm so thankful that I'll be able to go. We're so excited for Dan and Lauren! What a beautiful wedding it will be!

As I am writing this blog I keep thinking of things that have happened since our last post. Life has been eventful! Josh and I had a fabulous One Year anniversary getaway to the Hill Country Hyatt. The Lazy River was the perfect spot for this pregnant lady - we laid out and floated around all weekend. Thanks mom and dad for such a great gift!

We hope that each of you are doing well and trusting God in EVERY detail of life. He cares about each one. We serve an awesome God!