Naming A Baby With Love ♥

This has been a long time coming.

Wow -- can you believe all the names out there!

After thinking about this DAILY for months & going over & over again with the names

that we actually liked, we finally came up with what we will name our baby as of next week

(we find out the sex).

Mind you, naming another human being is NOT like naming a pet.

You go through different emotions, you say these names over & over in your head.

You try to make them rhyme with not so fun words ... LOL.

What the initials spell, ect.

A lot goes into this process.

After waiting 25 years to finally take the plunge to have children, many of my friends & family already have kids. So what does this mean? It means that most of the names that you probably like have been taken!

Being different & trendy ... Everyone wants to -- but seriously we have to give our children a STRONG name that they can be proud of for years to come.

I wanted something easy to say. I didn't want people CONSTANLY mis-pronouncing the name.

&

I didn't want people to mis-spell it either.

So where does that leave me!?!

Well, I'll tell you :)

It has left me with 2 VERY beautiful names for my child! :)

We are over joyed about learning the sex of our little one.

Either way, boy or  girl, we will be ever so excited!

So here they are ....

For our Baby Boy -- Kale Emerson Lawson  ♥

&

For our Baby Girl -- Ariel Spring Lawson  ♥

We've researched the meanings, the different origins & the considered alternate spellings. These are what works best for us.

We are aware that some may not like our names, that not everyone has our style & may have an opinion about what we should name our child, with that said. Please keep any & all negitive feedback to yourself.

If you have children then you know how opinions from people can be ;)

Thank you to all who have supported us in picking these names & for those who support is on the way :)

Ashley & Brian

Our Trip to the Carribean :) Counting my blessings..

I took this picture in Nassua ♥ It was pure Heaven..

God has blessed me soo much..More than I think I deserve.

I was given the chance to travel to the Bahamas this past week, the farthest from home I've ever been.

The more I think about what in my life I should be thankful for it becomes more clear to me just how

lucky I am. Sometimes life is hard & take it out on people who have nothing to do

with my bad days ... For this I am truly sorry. To think of my blessings make it all seem to fade away.

My husband ♥

Why was I so lucky to be given him? He could have found someone along the way thousands of

times before, why did he pick me? He loves me so much & I just can't understand why.

The kind of love that I didn't know exsisted. He would love my to the ends of the Earth if I asked..

While he's gone, when he's here with me ... I'm so lucky.

He loves to travel & we get to. We've visited lots of neat & beautiful places & we are so lucky

to be able to do this. Thank you Lord!

With the blessing of our baby that is on the way, our bond seems to only be getting stronger.

With every second passing by it clear to me that he was placed in my life for reasons that I can see.

But what is not clear is why the Lord has choosen to bless me soo, because I am so undeserving of all his

blessings, but I am soo thankful that He did.

In our stateroom on our way to Nassua ♥

On the beach in Nassua .. Him so handsom ♥

More often than not I forget to thank God.

I lay my head down & pray, sometimes I fall asleep saying thank you & asking for forgiveness

& wake up thinking I forgot something :)

I have an amazing family who loves me. Granted not perfect & thats ok, because we're family & that is all that

matters to me.

Paradise Island, the far end (we are on a ferry headed to the port to explore)

Nicolas Cage's home

Atlanis!! This was AMAZING to see!

Going to Atlantis :)

Getting closer!

The beach at Atlantis on Paradise Island -- just down the beach from Nicolas Cage!

Water so clear & blue ..

I had an amazing time in the beautiful Carribean & can't wait to go on our

next adventure in the near future!

For more photos of our trip to Nassua, Paradise Island & Freeport -- check my Facebook page :)

I enjoyed my vacation -- BUT, I am so glad to be home in the USA!! I love my country!

FuN FaCtS

** In the Bahamas the legal drinking age is 18 & doesn't require an ID -- Money is your ID

** The locals LOVE American's.

** Most of the people on the Island are Native American's & sound Jamacian.

** You can see the hospital where Anna Nicole Smith had her daughter & where her son died.

** Nassau has the biggest port in the Bahamas, holding up to 6 large cruise ships at once.

** The biggest cruise ship in the world (Royal Carribean's Oasis of the Sea) Docks at this port.

**They eat Conch out of the shells .. ick

**The Conch shells they find, well lets say you can't find them in America -- Glad I brought 5 giant ones home!

**The official name of the country is the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is an archipelago, consisting of more than 700 islands <---- WHOA!

**You can tour the island & see where all the stars live -- pretty cool!

**Some people we met on the boat found a dead body!!

**Don't forget your passport there -- chances of returning home are slim!!

**Freeport was sad & abandoned. But the ocean was clear clear clear.

**Try the straw markets in Nassau if you go -- you'll find all sorts of neat things :)

A Baby On The Way ...

Yes you see it right! I'm expecting!

I just wanted to share with those of you who keep up with my blog my exciting news & how we found out :)

My mother when she was age had ovarian cancer & had some other issues. I was so positive that I was NOT pregnant that it was something else.

After work one day me & my wonderful husband brian went to the CVS, I just wanted to rule out pregnancy so I could move on to another answer. I took the first test around 3 p.m. in the day. Which those of you who have ever been pregnant know that is always best to test EARLY in the morning because the HCG is not as strong in the afternoon & can sometimes give you a false negative. Well I knew this but I took it anyways.

We waited  ... the FULL 2 minutes LOL. Even though sometimes it shows up instantly.

We both at the same time saw the + sign in the window ... It was SHEER shock.. I was so sure I was right.

I mean how did this slip by me? How could I have not known lol.

I was in such shock, I started laughing ... then the tears came. But they were tears of joy -- it was sheer happiness. I can't describe that feeling you get when you first learn about your pregnancy.

I was kind of in disbelief so I decided to take another test about 2 hours later. As soon as I took it I looked at it. It was positive.

I made a doctors appointment right then, because I wanted to confirm it for sure.

The following day I went to the doctors & it was confirmed, I was in fact pregnant & I my expected due date was August 30th 2011.

A lot runs through your mind when you learn about pregnancy. You start thinking of names :) Which I must say is so much fun. You start thinking of nursery ideas & themes. You start noticing a lot of things about your body, that you would normally dismiss.

You start thinking of what kind of parent you will be. What your child will look like... Tons of things are running through your mind. It's just a wonderful feeling & thing to get to experience.

This was DEF unplanned & was a surprise -- but the BEST gift the Lord has ever given me & I feel more blessed than I ever have. I have the GREATEST husband, a blessing on the way, great family & AWESOME friends. A relationship with God that makes all this possible. What more could I ask for?

Thank You, Jesus!

Speaks Volumes ... Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days ....

Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?
Always a bigger bed to crawl into
Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything?
And everybody believed in you?

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights is still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent
You're still an innocent

There's some things you can't speak of
But tonight you'll live it all again
You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now
If only you would sing what you know now then

Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catchin' days?
And everything out of reach, someone bigger brought down to you
Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild 'til you fell asleep?
Before the monsters caught up to you?

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights is still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent

It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32, and still growin' up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent

Time turns flames to embers
You'll have new Septembers
Every one of us has messed up too

Lives change like the weather
I hope you remember
Today is never to late to
Be brand new

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights are still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent

It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32, and still growin' up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent



I love some Taylor Swift :)

I love you, Brian ... ♥

you think i'd leave your side baby
you know me better than that
you think i'd leave you down when you're down on your knees
i wouldn't do that
i'll tell you you're right when you want
and if only you could see into me
ha ah ah ah ah ah

oh when you're cold
i'll be there
hold you tight to me

when you're on the outside baby and you can`t get in
i will show you you're so much better than you know
when you're lost and you're alone and you cant get back again
i will find you darling and i will bring you home

and if you want to cry
i am here to dry your eyes
and in no time
you'll be fine

you think i'd leave your side baby
you know me better than that
you think id leave you down when you're down on your knees
i wouldn't do that
i'll tell you you're right when you want
and if only you could see into me
ha ah ah ah ah ah

oh when you're cold
i'll be there
hold you tight to me
when you're low
i'll be there
by your side baby

oh when you're cold
i'll be there
hold you tight to me
oh when you're low
i'll be there
by your side baby

I will carry you ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2CnUtVY35o

 

I think I have problems ... But my troubles are just passing ones. I've never endured something like this. Knowing what the ending was going to be...

 

Thank you Lord for humbling me today.

 

 If you've not yet, I encourage you to read the blog behind this .. Bring the Rain or Audrey Caroline ... It's touching & beautiful.

 

The song "I will carry you" was written for this child by her mother & father. Her father, Todd, is a member of the band Selah. 

This song means something to me, I think of God carrying me through the hardships & long after the cradle years & through the long roads ahead. But if He brings me to it, He WILL bring me through it.

Amen,

When you realize your blessed...

After struggling with the weeks heartache & becoming immune to harsh words & comments by others I went on to my weekend.

I had 3 shoots to do(a wedding & 2 maternity sessions).  Saturday was like any other. I arrived at the church to start shooting the befores. I realized while shooting the bridesmaids in the bridal suite, that I was truly meant to do this. It came so natural. With the posing & the laughing with them, it was very clear to me.

I was so excited to be apart of that. The church was a BEAUTIFUL place setting.. The prettiest church I had ever been too. It was breathtaking. I REALLY felt the Lord there.  The ceremony was kind & loving & honest.

I didn't know if it was the fact that this was my FIRST church wedding or the fact that I had, had a rough week, but I really felt blessed to be there.

There were no words of hate, no judging, no hypocrisy. It was real honest worship before the Lord.

I no I have never been the perfect Christian, or the perfect follower. But I know that God made me imperfect just like He did everyone else.

While I had my head bowed in prayer for the Lord, it dawned on me that people who claim to be Follower's of Jesus Christ were in fact the very ones throwing stones & gossiping. But I wasn't upset with their childish, radical behavior. Because I knew, that they aren't perfect either. So I overlooked it. Although it hurt & cut deep into my heart, there was nothing to be done, nothing to say. It also dawned on me to forgive those who participate in such things & to pray for them. As they needed it more than I. Finding that place where, your ok with words & actions of those imperfect others takes a while. You can't go looking for it. You have to become ok with yourself & understand that not everything is meant to be understood.

I was so excited to get home & look at what I might have gotten on camera :) After looking through a bout 20 of the 500 I took, I realized, wow -- these really are good! Thank you Jesus!! 

Waking up for my maternity shoots -- I was nervous. I had never done one before & wanted to do a great job. Having doubts about my gift & it was meant for me to be doing this, well those fears were slowing disappearing. I had been paid for the weeding & was about to make the rest of my paycheck doing what I love. The wedding was the same as I requested in price. I was happy with that :)

After getting done with the first shoot, we were walking back to the cars & they asked me if I preferred cash -- I of course replied yes. They handed me the money & left. After they drove away I was on the phone with my husband & thumbed through the cash & realized they had given 50 dollars over the amount I was expecting. What a wonderful surprise. My 2nd shoot was for a very dear friend of mine & couldn't have been happier to be apart of this with her! After having a great shoot, talking & catching up I followed them to the ATM. Brian handed me two 5 dollar bills to give them back for change. As I walked up to the window we spoke for a moment & she handed me some folded money. I went to give her the two 5's & she said no no, you keep it & then I thumbed through the money she had given me & much to my disbelief she had given me another 50 dollars over the price of the shoot. I was shocked, again! Tears welled up in my eyes as I asked why? She just simply said we want to do that for you, it's your Sunday & you worked hard & we had a great time. 

As they drove away after we said our goodbyes, I felt so very blessed, this was the Lord taking care of me & reaffirming me that this was what I was meant to be doing & that he was going to take care of me. He wasn't going to let me fall. 

When you realize how blessed you really are, everything else just seems to fade away. You go somewhere new, where you feel worth while again & pieces of your soul slowly start coming back. You meet people, regardless of the length of time you known them, you know you have a friend in them, that God has placed them in your life for a reason & removed the others for reasons as well.

Reminds me of a video I was once showed(a few years ago) by a woman had been involved in some of the gossip towards me. It a video by a Church who performs Lifehouse's Everything Skit. A touching & powerful video which has been ringing true to me these last few days. I have felt the way the girl in the video has, I've also been saved by the Lord & he has never let go of my hand. Despite my flaws & my imperfections He still loves me ♥ It's just ironic how things work out.

                                          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

 

No matter what people say or what they do, I am still me & I am blessed.