more info...

Thanks to all of you who have already requested to be added to our new blog! It is great to be “meeting” new people who have been reading. Seriously…please don’t be shy. I’d love to add you if you are a faithful reader.

I just realized that I had some emails being going immediately to my “spam” box in gmail. And I have deleted all my spam messages without going through them lately. So, if you have emailed me a request but I have not gotten back to you, please email me again…kristal(dot)sawyer(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thanks!!!

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5 Responses to “more info…”

1. Hey Kristal, can I give you my email addy here?? Hope so, its easier. Please add me so I can keep reading, love your blog and your insights. nicanddiana@hotmail.com

   Diana said this on November 28, 2007 at 2:15 pm | Reply (edit)

2. I feel very strange asking to have access to your new blog. I started reading because I find your blog motivating and (like the post above mine) love your insights. Plus, you have the CUTEST little girl! I just don’t want to be perceieved as a blog ‘stalker’ of someone that i don’t know.

   Christine said this on November 28, 2007 at 6:23 pm | Reply (edit)

3. hey kristal, i usually come and read your blog as i read other former MEI peoples. i love seeing pics of your gorgeous girl and hear what is going on in your life. so please add me to your new blog, if not i totally undersatnda as well. johnandchristyj@hotmail.com

   Christy said this on December 1, 2007 at 9:48 pm | Reply (edit)

4. For some reason when I log into your new blog site, it just keeps telling me its an error. Can you send me the invitation again? Sorry about that. nicanddiana@hotmail.com

   Diana said this on December 3, 2007 at 5:23 pm | Reply (edit)

5. Kristal, my email is mikeandkallie@gamil.com
   I would love to be added to your new blog. Hey…and what did you mean when you “tagged” me on mine?

   Kallie said this on December 4, 2007 at 7:08 pm | Reply (edit)

Thanks...and an update!

I have to start out with the latest picture of Natalie...one of her favorite things to do is find her hats (from her bottom drawer in her bedroom) and then find Mommy's pink flip flops and walk around like a big girl. She's just too cute.

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement with going private. We feel it was a good decision...I've actually been debating doing it for quite some time but have been scared I would lose readers. Oh well...I'm over it! I'd rather have a smaller, more "intimate" blog and know who is reading my blog then have a large number of readers and not know who they all are!

We had a great Thanksgiving! Thursday morning REALLY early we flew to Southern California to be with Shaun's family for the day. We would've left Wednesday night but Shaun had to be at church for the Thanksgiving service. We left to the airport at 6am and ended up being delayed on in the plane, on the runway for an hour and a half while we waited for the fog to clear in Burbank. We ended up being on the plane for 3 hours when we had only planned on about 1 1/2 hours... Needless to say we had a tired and cranky girl on our hands when we got to Shaun's parents house. Immediately me and Nat went down for a nap...I felt much better after that!

Shaun's grandparents, uncle, and his boys drove up from Irvine/Orange County to be with us for the afternoon and evening. We had a TASTY dinner (Thanks Mom!) and I contributed with my candied yam dish, which I must say went over quite well. We spent the rest of the day cleaning dishes and watching Shrek 3...I think there was some socializing in there too. =)

Friday morning we were able to have a quick breakfast with our friends Mike & Renelle. They invited us over to their place for omelets, bagels, and hashbrowns. Oh, and some DELICIOUS coffee with holiday creamers...have I mentioned that my love for coffee is back? Hooray!!! We had a great time with them.

After breakfast us and Shaun's parents drove down to Irvine to spend some time with Shaun's grandparents. It was great to spend time with them at their home. We played Dominos and Aggrivation (Grandpa won!)...good times, all around.

Saturday morning we were up early, again...this time to fly back to Phoenix. The flight seemed so much shorter this time because we didn't have the delay!

Saturday and Sunday night I was back at church to sing for Third Format (3F), and Shaun was back to work as well. Yesterday Shaun was able to take his comp day because of all the extra hours he's been putting in. We were able to get our outdoor Christmas decorations for our house and get most of it set up. It's so fun having our own home to decorate! I will get some pictures up here soon...

New Blog...again...

I decided it was time to make our blog private. After countless scary stories and random people commenting on our blog I decided I've had enough!

I really wanted to stay with Wordpress but you have to pay in order to have more than 35 readers to your blog. So I'm back with blogger...hope you like it!

PS. Please leave me a comment and let me know you've made it to our new site!

New Blog!

Hi everyone…sorry for the lack of posting lately. Life has been crazy.

I just wanted to let everyone know that we are starting a new private blog. However…I do NOT want to lose any of you as readers!

I am going to keep this blog (sksawyer.wordpress.com) open until January 1st, 2008. At that point this blog will go private (therefore privatizing all our info).

Our new blog address is thesawyersaga.blogspot.com. I really wanted to stay with WordPress, but they only allow you up to 35 readers…and then you have to pay. So I’m back with blogger!

If you are a faithful reader and would like to continue to be a reader of our new blog, please email me at kristal(dot)sawyer(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thanks!!!

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2 Responses to “New Blog!”

1. Kristal!!

   Great to see an update. Funny thing – I also updated my blog today saying that it is going to be a private blog as well!! Add us to your list.

   bonnie said this on November 27, 2007 at 3:23 pm | Reply (edit)

2. hey kristal! i would love to continue reading your blog. could you please add me to your safe list: kiwi(underscore)klassen(at)hotmail(dot)com
   Thanks!! I always look forward to reading your blog and seeing pictures of your little munchkin! she’s too cute for words. )

   Kim said this on November 27, 2007 at 8:03 pm | Reply (edit)

Promises

Today we’ve had our first official rain of the fall season. It was strange waking up to dark clouds instead of Arizona’s typical bright sun and clear skies. I had planned on meeting a friend and her daughter for a play date at the park…it figures, on the day I plan an outside activity, it rains. =) We decided to go to the indoor playground at the mall instead.

After a good time playing and eating a tasty lunch, we headed home. Natalie settled down for her nap and I decided it was time for my “rest” time too. I was in our bathroom when I noticed the sky directly outside our window was completely darkened from the clouds…but then from somewhere behind our house there was sunlight. It produced the most beautiful rainbow…but then I looked closer…and this is what I saw…

Not one, but two rainbows.

I couldn’t help but note the significance of it this week. One of my dear friends, Heather (my childhood best friend) recently found out she was pregnant with twins…she was due a week after me.

As Heather put it on her blog…”On Monday night God chose to give our babies angel wings…”

It has been a hard week. I totally know in my heart that the Lord is sovereign and He sees the big picture. But I have had a hard time understanding…I have asked “why?” so many times this week. I have cried for my friend…I have prayed a peace beyond all human understanding for them. It seems so unfair…

I think God knew I needed to see these two rainbows today…

When God provided a rainbow for Noah after the great flood (Genesis 9:12-17), it was a symbol of hope. A sign that He had been faithful to them, despite the great rain and the floods they had been through. A promise that life would continue…that He would still be faithful.

Heather…I don’t understand why. But I will continue to pray that through these dark storms you’re facing, that God will shine His light and show you rainbows of hope and promises of His continued faithfulness.

You have been so faithful to me…You have been my shepherd, when in times I could not see…You wrap Your arms around me…And You let the wild winds blow…You have been so faithful to me.

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why?

my thoughts they overwhelm me…my mind cannot contain…the pain that is within me…why…i long for understanding…i live to know the peace…that comes from being sure of something…

my eyes are blind to Your ways, oh Lord…yet i have seen Your love and care, so…

i rest in Your knowing…though i may not know…i take on your strength…as though it were my own…standing on the promises…Your word for me provides…i find therein the answer…to the question…why…

my complaint today is bitter…but sweet is Your reply…my questioning still lingers…why…You know each road i travel down…my heart and Yours are one…but i just don’t see the good in this…

my eyes are blind to Your ways, oh Lord…yet i have seen Your love and care, so…

i rest in Your knowing…though i may not know…i take on your strength…as though it were my own…standing on the promises…Your word for me provides…i find therein the answer…to the question…why…

through suffering and sorrow…comes peace beyond belief…for our present set of circumstances…serve only to remind us…of the gold we can’t yet see…

– Crystal Lewis, “Why”

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8 Responses to “why?”

1. i am praying to our Heavenly Father who knows your exact situation and the answers to your questions. may His peace be your strength.
   love,
   -heidi

   heidi said this on November 13, 2007 at 4:39 pm | Reply (edit)

2. Whatever may be troubling you, just know that God cares and he WILL take care of you. Prayers are being sent your way from Alberta!

   ~K~

   Karyn said this on November 13, 2007 at 5:22 pm | Reply (edit)

3. It’s been a long day for many of us it appears. I’ll pray for your situation as well, whatever it may be.

   shannon said this on November 13, 2007 at 6:04 pm | Reply (edit)

4. Kristal – thank you. I know that with this song you are lifting up your friend in her pain today. I’m sure that in her grief she is not even able to express her prayers, but at times like this God uses friends to carry the one who can’t walk to the Lord.

   Mom said this on November 13, 2007 at 6:35 pm | Reply (edit)

5. I’m crying too, somethings just don’t make any sense…..thanks for these words, they ring so true.

   Corinne Bargen said this on November 13, 2007 at 10:36 pm | Reply (edit)

6. Praying with you! Love you

   Kirsten said this on November 13, 2007 at 11:18 pm | Reply (edit)

7. Also here, among those that can’t comprehend, don’t have words but are praying. Thanks Kris, love you.

   Cherylen said this on November 14, 2007 at 1:34 pm | Reply (edit)

8. Thanks for posting this Kristal….and for putting into words what we are feeling as we grieve the loss of Heather’s precious twins….as your Mom so eloquently put it, although we cannot even begin to express our prayers in our grief, it is exactly at times like these that God uses friends like you to carry the one who can’t….

   Doris said this on November 14, 2007 at 5:36 pm | Reply (edit)

I couldn't resist...

Isn’t she cute?!?!

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5 Responses to “I couldn’t resist…”

1. without a doubt. . ..the cutest little girl on my blogroll.
   I love how the bedroom turned out too. So sweet.

   Lovella said this on November 12, 2007 at 5:35 pm | Reply (edit)

2. soooo cute!

   Lindsay said this on November 12, 2007 at 7:36 pm | Reply (edit)

3. Yup, she’s pretty freakin’ adorable. You have braggin’ rights, that’s for sure!

   runningwildly said this on November 12, 2007 at 11:41 pm | Reply (edit)

4. I wouldn’t be able to resist either.

   shannon said this on November 13, 2007 at 10:36 am | Reply (edit)

5. Natalie is adorable, she has so much hair, my 19 month old has really blond hair and not very much of it, there is no pony tail in sight!! I noticed natalie doesn’t have all her teeth yet, did she start teething late. Janae has her last eye tooth comin gin adn then i guess its the second year molars! Can’t wait for teething to be done.

   Christy said this on November 14, 2007 at 9:24 pm | Reply (edit)

Natalie's New Bedroom

Natalie’s room is FINALLY finished! We have a 3 bedroom house and for a long time we have debated whether the kids will share a room or whether they will each have their own. We finally decided to make the larger of the two rooms a joint bedroom and make the other room a guest room/play room.

Because we don’t know the gender of Baby#2 we decided to do a more neutral color…we wanted to do green but the majority of our house is painted a sage green color so we went for a creamy yellow. Then I added cream stripes to two of the walls. I just LOVE how it turned out. If we end up having a boy we will buy some more boy-ish bedding for the crib and transfer Natalie’s girlie stuff to her side of the room when she gets her big girl bed.

The coloring on this picture is a bit dark cause of the lighting. Papa helped put the curtains up when they were here…

This picture shows a more accurate idea of the color. I found the “Natalie” sign randomly one day at Home Goods–it’s the first time I had seen anything with her name on it! And the ADORABLE ballerina dresses are gifts from Auntie Julene all the way from Indonesia!

The closet is to the right of the change table (sorry, no picture)…

This will be where Natalie’s big girl bed will eventually be. For now it’s a cute reading corner for Miss Nat and her “friends”…

I just LOVE this quilt…it is from Pottery Barn Kids but I found it at a 2nd hand kids store last year…for $12!!! Hooray for excellent deals!

To the left of this I have a white shelf which will eventually be filled with Natalie’s nicknack’s, “friends”, and toys. Sorry, our camera doesn’t take good pictures of things too close. So this will have to do right now!

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Baby Sawyer #2 - 20 Weeks!

(Natalie insisted on standing with Mommy for the picture!)

Can’t believe we’re half way there! It really is going fast, but March (or most likely April!) seems so far away still. My belly is growing…I am wearing my maternity jeans all the time but I am sticking with “normal” tops for now. It’s funny how the 1st time you’re preggo you can’t wait to wear your first maternity clothes…and then the 2nd time around you just dread getting back into them!

Baby has been moving a lot more lately. I felt him/her flutter around 15 weeks or so but when we were in Sedona (at 18 weeks) I felt the first kick. Since then it has been a daily occurrence and it does make me smile. =) I can’t wait until Shaun can feel Baby kick.

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3 Responses to “Baby Sawyer #2 – 20 Weeks!”

1. You look absolutely beautiful! Hope Nati feels better soon!

   Jules said this on November 9, 2007 at 5:23 pm | Reply (edit)

2. Oh, and in case you are interested, the name Bennett means Little Blessed One

   ~K~

   Karyn said this on November 9, 2007 at 9:51 pm | Reply (edit)

3. You look great! I can’t believe you’re 20 weeks already!

   Megan said this on November 10, 2007 at 9:41 am | Reply (edit)