Potty Praises

One month.  Somehow it's already been an entire month, but it seriously seems like yesterday since I wrote this post ::Diaper Days to Diaper Years:: updating you on an area that we were desperate for friends and family to join us in praying over.

I KNOW that God is able to do anything at all in this world, no matter how impossible it seems (or how "unimportant" it may feel)...but I just really didn't know what to expect or even what those answered prayers would look like.  I was prepared for months of agonizing over this issue.  I had no idea how to know if those "big issues" (like nerve damage) were going to get in our way or how to really TRAIN Bryleigh on using the potty (other than telling her every 5 seconds to go sit on the potty...which hadn't worked).

We had/have a follow up appointment set up for March with our GI doctor.  I really thought we were going to painfully pass the days until that appointment, giving it our very best effort, and then I would bring up all of my questions and concerns to him, hoping he would be able to help us figure out about things like nerve damage and tips to keeping the pull up clean and dry.

{{BUT GOD.}}  God had FAR better plans for us.  He has spent the last month reminding us that HE is in control of our lives, that He loves our girl far more than we could ever imagine, that He has good plans for us, and that He cares about every little thing that affects us (including potty training).

In the last month, this one has worked like daddy, baked a cake from scratch, 

gone grocery shopping, taken her bible to church and bible study, 

played massive amounts of dress up, danced in the rain, 

and...CRUSHED IT AT POTTY TRAINING.

The month started with enthusiasm from Bryleigh.  A very quick answer to prayer there.  She was genuinely on board with the potty training and began to take ownership of what we were doing, as opposed to the crying and major anxiety any time we had tried in the past.

A big breakthrough came for us when I sat on the couch at their chiropractor's office  (which has become beneficial beyond anything I could have ever imagined or could begin to explain) a week after my last blog post, and she opened up my eyes to where we truly were.  She encouraged us to treat the potty training area of B's life as if she were a 2 year old, since that is essentially where her body was in the process.  We talked through that and it really made sense to me.  Taking the anger/discipline out of it, I feel, was a huge turning point for all of us.  That one conversation freed me from getting so upset over her not "getting it," which made her 100 times more comfortable.

The next big breakthrough came the following week when I was getting Will out of the bathtub and ready for bed - which includes drying him off, dressing him, brushing his teeth, combing his hair...etc - and Bryleigh informed me (while still in the bath) she needed to use the potty.  I told her to hold it as best she could and I'd get to her as quick as possible.  I rushed the process with Will, and as I was coming back into the bathroom, she had a look of terror on her face...she had just peed in the bath.  And you know what, Brad (on FaceTime) and I CHEERED FOR HER.  We cheered for her because she KNEW she needed to potty and then she held it for a good 10 minutes while I tried to get Will taken care of.  We let her know over and over how proud of her we were, and for the first time I really felt like we were going to be able to give this a good shot.  This meant that she had enough nerves/feeling to know when she needed to go and the ability to hold it, at least for some time. HUGE ANSWER TO PRAYER AND MAJOR PRAISE!!!! We've praised God for this a million times since that moment.

Since that day we've taken steps forwards and backwards and sideways and every other way, but here we are a month later, and I can honestly say our girl is making major progress.  The last two weeks have been major steps forward to getting her completely trained and ready for PRESCHOOL in the fall...which coincidentally registration opens up TODAY.  I never imagined this day would come and we'd be able to confidently sign her up.  I really thought we'd be holding out until the very last moment praying there was a spot still open and then praying every day that she'd make it through with no accidents (which I will probably still do...). BUT GOD.

Serve is the Word in 2018

Okay guys.  I seriously dropped the ball, or should I say...entire basket of fruit on my 2017 word of the year.  I had every intention of being SUPER intentional and focusing on a different fruit of the spirit each month, diving in deep and learning what God had to say about each one...but I didn't.  (I still hope to do this at some point because it really is one of my favorite passages of scripture, and I know it is filled with so many truths, pointing to many different passages and themes in the bible.)  I went a little to crazy on that one, so I will be dialing it back this year and focusing on one single word...one single truth: SERVE. (Just kidding...I had been working on this before God spoke to me about adding another word...but I'll get to that)

I've mentioned before that some years, I have had to really search out what God is speaking over me where these words are involved (like this year's 2017 word coming in at the 11th hour), and other times it is as clear as can be for weeks (even months) ahead.

But this year, this word is different.  God has been speaking this word over me and to my heart for almost an entire year.  We were barely into 2017 when I began to hear Him nudging me to this years word: SERVE.  As we studied through John last year in BSF, one of the lessons about how Jesus SERVED stuck with me.  Over the past year, I have repeatedly seen Him highlighting this area in my life.

**I fully anticipated having one single word to focus on this year, but when God speaks...you listen! ;) So December 30, during the course of a conversation, someone quickly mentioned the word SURRENDER.  It didn't strike me too much at the time, but the idea behind what she was discussing stuck out to me and was something I knew I needed more of in my life (as in surrendering to my husband in marriage the way we should surrender our life to God).  And then...December 31...final hours of the year, I heard it again.  This time it was in a song, "I Surrender All," that was playing on the radio while I was driving.  I have felt as the Lord has led me before, and I knew he was doing so again.

So this year, while there are two words, I feel like they definitely work hand in hand, and as I learn to surrender to the Lord and His will for my life, I will serve Him out of the overflow of my love for Him. Surrender + Serve.

Here's the song I was listening to as I clearly heard the Lord telling me to just SURRENDER to Him in 2018.  So here I am, at the beginning of this year with my hands open, held out to Him, expectant of what is to come, knowing that He will cover it all.

2017 – Our *Wild, Brave* Year in Review

I absolutely LOVE this time each year! You know, that random time after Christmas and before New Years when no-one has any idea what day of the week it is or what we're really supposed to be doing with ourselves?!  It's a time to just slow down and take a look back over the last year to see every little bit of provision and blessing (and a whole lot of painful growth) God has placed on us...and boy did He ever provide this year.  He provided us with lifelong memories, growing friendships, and peace through some of our toughest days.

When I started these posts, back in 2013, I did them more as a "Top 10," but over the years, some of the moments that have brought about the biggest growth in my life and in our family, as well as those with lasting impressions wouldn't necessarily be considered "Top," so now they're just the most memorable moments. We know that God uses every part of our lives for His story, and for His glory, so here they are from the past year:

10. Birthday Celebrations.  We kicked off 2017 celebrating our sweet girl's 3rd birthday with a little Breakfast at Bryleigh's, and we wrapped up the year celebrating our Wild One at his 1st birthday.  It is always so incredible to watch these kiddos grow up from year to year, to look back on the past year and see all the ways that they have grown and changed, but I know that the best is yet to come as they learn more about who God has created them to be.  I am so very thankful that God chose Brad and me to be earthly parents to these precious kids that make life so incredibly fun.

9. Vegas Vacation.  At the end of 2016, my Boy-Band-loving husband came across some information for the Backstreet Boys residency in Vegas, and the rest is history.  We had an absolute blast discovering a new city that neither of us had ever been to, and the cherry on top was experiencing my middle school self's dream!  Also, we ate a LOT of really good food!!  I am so thankful for times to get away with my husband, to reconnect and just enjoy life together.

8. Sports, duh.  Obviously sports is going to make the list.  The jury is still out on just how good of a year this has been for my hubby since his Sooners are STILL making a run for it, but most of my teams left a little (or a lot) to be desired in cheering them on.  Since number 9 happened (Vegas Vacation), a trip to see the Nets was off the table, but that didn't hold us back from watching them every chance we got (on a computer rigged up to the TV with questionable viewing half the time).  Brad and I had a blast at the incredible Baylor/OU game this year, and I always love getting to spend an afternoon with him at the Cowboys game.  The highlight of our sports year, though, was taking Will to his very first Rangers game!! He's a fan for life. I am thankful for the passions and interests God placed on our hearts as individuals AND the things he placed in our hearts that we enjoy together/as a family. (I am also thankful that my happiness does not depend on the success of the Baylor Bears!)

7. The Holidays. For us, the "Holidays" start with Halloween and go right up until 11:59 when we ring in the new year, looking for ways to work in some memory-making moments every chance we get.  Our Halloween was so fun and special this year as we saw our little girl REALLY growing up.  It was our very first "Teal Pumpkin Project" Halloween, and I'm already looking forward to doing a little more with that in 2018. We had a successful (read: tear-free) sugar free Halloween.  I LOVED getting to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, since last year's was a little...chaotic...and tiring...and every other thing you can think of.  We got to celebrate Will's SECOND Thanksgiving before he turned one! ;)  Any time with family is always special, but time with them at Christmas just seems a little more magical.  Christmas always reminds me of how incredibly blessed we are with an amazing family. God has been SO good to us.  I am thankful for the endless amounts of time I get to spend with my children during these younger years, making a lifetime's worth of memories with them.

6. Brave days.  As I mentioned, not all of the things on the list are "top" moments, but they are definitely BIG moments, and we had a lot of big moments this year with both of our brave babes and their health.  We started the new year with a new doctor, and that was a game changer for us!  There's been supplements, and adjustments, and nutrition education...and a few couch counseling sessions...to get us to a MUCH better place than we were in this time last year. After jumping through hoops and more details than I care to recount, we FINALLY got somewhat of a diagnosis for Bryleigh that consisted of TEN allergies we needed to completely eliminate from her diet...and it's been a journey to figure it all out ever since. On top of that, we have learned that she does have scoliosis, which is something we were very prepared for as lots of things pointed to that throughout the year.  We're still working through details with Will, and have to wait as his spine develops to see if he will have the same issues as well, but he does have the same GI issues that his big sister does.  Although there have been tough days (weeks.) and lots of questions, we are SO thankful to be where we are at this point and know that God goes before us in to 2018!

5. Summer-ish. Our B-Dad had been hard at work for the last three years, traveling weekly to North Carolina to meet in person with his client, and this summer they had their big finish.  It meant some weekends away, long hours, lots of stressful work, but he did an awesome job, and when it wrapped up, it meant some time at HOME.  It fell right around the middle of July, so it felt a little like we were on summer vacation. We got to do weeknight dinners, double duty bath time, and extra helping hands for this momma.  We're so proud of him and thankful for how hard he works to provide for our family.  He's now off to Baltimore each week to work with his new client, and we have no doubt he'll do just as well there!  I am incredibly thankful for my hubby's job and all that it provides for us, in every way.

4. Celebrating 10, and 8. It's always fun to celebrate and look back at all of God's blessings in our lives, and this year we celebrated 10 years of doing life together.  Our sweet story started on Memorial Day back in 2007, and we married a little over 2 years later.  We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary in August with a fun date night out and some shopping, then home to snuggle our babes at bed time (which is exactly what we did to celebrate our 10 years of dating, too).  I really could not have asked for more. I am so thankful to do life with these people.

3. Saying Goodbyes. As I wrote this post last year and looked forward to all that 2017 would bring, I had no idea what was just around the corner.  We got what would be the worst phone call of our lives as we learned that our Uncle B had passed away of a massive heart attack at the end of February.  We have missed him every day since and we know that this world will never be the same without him.



Our heartbreak did not stop there, unfortunately.  In June, we said goodbye to our sweet Grandmother, days before her 93rd birthday.  Although we were so sad to not have her with us, we are so grateful that she was reunited with our sweet granddad and met Jesus face to face, where he undoubtedly said "Well done my good and faithful servant." What a reunion that must have been!  I will always be so grateful to God for her last 3 years of life where she was able to spend time with my Bryleigh Girl.  There relationship was one of my most favorite things in the world. I am forever thankful for the lives of Brian Lee and Pauline Mae, who loved me unconditionally and made me a better person.

2. Becoming Burgdorf. It's safe to say that the best day of 2017 for our family was the much anticipated wedding day for our sweet little sister, Erin, and our new brother, Luke.  We are SO blessed to have them as Aunt E and Uncle Luke to our babes and we had an absolute blast celebrating them and all the fun around their wedding - showers, bachelorette/bachelor weekends, and rehearsal included! I am so thankful that the Lord answered our prayers for our sweet Erin and a husband that will love and cherish her like she absolutely deserves.

1. Life with 2. This year, we settled in to life as a family of four, and we had an absolute blast doing it.  Will is OBSESSED with his sister.  It's obvious that she's his favorite person, and the feelings are quite reciprocated!  There's never been anything that has brought me more joy than to watch them love on each other and grow as little tiny people.  Every day is not perfect, but there is good, good blessings in every single day. I am beyond thankful for this very life that God has given us, each and every day of it!

 "Let me tell ya 'bout my beeeest friend!"