Caroline's Corner

In between thank you notes, more details that keep popping to finish before her arrival, and impatiently (and a little uncomfortably) waiting for Caroline, I snapped a few pictures of her space to share with long-distance family and friends! 

It was such a challenge to keep our guest-bed up, and create a combined nursery, but everything worked out perfectly! (I didn't stress too much, because she'll be in our room for probably the first month.) 

I even accidentally picked out a "compact-crib" for my mom to order us- thankfully it's what we needed! Regular sized would've overwhelmed the room. (But stores seriously need to carry mini crib sheets- I could only find them online!)

We also wanted to keep her space super simple, because budgets, and because we want to start teaching Caroline at the beginning that stuff and consumerism isn't at the heart of life or the gospel. 

Gifts, talents and generous hearts of amazing friends and family, a few of my childhood keepsakes, and a few of our own purchases fill up her corner. 

Talents of Cassie Loizeaux! (Pictured is a gift, not for purchase.) Find her art at www.cassieloizeaux.com, or Instagram @cassieloizeaux

Talents of Jennifer Meredith! Find her at www.etsy.com/shop/SpoonfulOfSunshine, or Instagram @spoonfulofsunshineshop

Our bedrooms only have make-shift closets, so (besides clothing) baskets, her books, and trinkets were a must! 

Since we couldn't keep the nightstand in the room, her dachshund became a bookend! I also loved a Pinterest idea of open baskets displaying stuffed animals and blankets.

We were blessed with a dresser (that was a part of many precious childhood memories) to use as her changing table and dresser. Thanks a million to my Mom for helping paint it, and tying together lose ends in her corner! (Forgive all the different lighting in these shots- I'm the furthest thing from a photographer!) 

We even cleaned and kept the original knobs!

Caroline, we can't wait to welcome you home! 

Those two frames are waiting for pictures of her sweet self to fill them.


For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14

Baby Fuller is a...

Our sweet baby is our sweet Caroline! 

We were shocked [totally thought with the Fuller genes that it'd be a boy], & unbelievably excited! ((We definitely would've been JUST as excited & thrilled if it was a boy!)) 

Joyful tears immediately filled my eyes [yes, I've cried like all day.]...and it's a moment we'll both never forget. She is fiercely loved already, and we can't wait to begin planning for her arrival! We're just beaming! 

Here's one of our prayers & hymns to say & sing over her. [Kari Jobe's version is gorgeous!] We pray she'll grow to have a heart steadfast for our Jesus. 

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King
Always, only for my King

Take my silver and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take my will it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my heart it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
It shall be Thy royal throne

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
At the impulse of Thy love

----> Side-note: The same serving set was used to cut our wedding cake, & the beautiful white baby quilt was hand-made by my precious grandmother for the 1st Baby Fuller. 

What a Year & What a Gift

It's almost been a year!  

Almost a year of neglecting this space. 

To be honest, it's been because I literally couldn't even process this year behind closed doors. Let alone put words to a fresh, clean screen to even make a sentence & share. 

Not in my head.

Not on paper. 

Sometimes, not even to Jesus. 

And I still can't bring myself to share details on what this year was like [on here, that is...] But I can sum it up in one word- grief. And it's taken me a while to get the nerve to even share that. 

But I think the ending of this year has given me the courage. 

And most importantly, it's given me reminders of the joy I've had all along, & the joy that's to come! 

So, even though this year can be summed up into [grief], it's a grief with hope...hope in our Savior. 

Hope that He can restore all things.

Hope that He is sovereignly in control.

Hope that He is already victorious & will return.   

And the sheer reality that this year can also be described as joyful. 

This little baby is already such a gift. 

And oh how fitting that Jesus would give us such a joyous one after such a year of suffering. 

He. Is. Good. Always. 

So there's a little backstory into our year's end. And here's a peek into the new journey so far...

We found out our little bundle was a reality on Friday, October 16. I'll never forget that moment! It was nothing dramatic or movie-scene-like, but I somehow knew weeks leading up to doing the test. And I was still speechless & in tears.

Just in shock & in awe of Jesus. 

I remember running around the house [just me & Dooley, I might add], cupping my tummy & saying, "You're in there, Little One. You're in there. You're really in there!" 

And telling Kyle was SO surreal. We couldn't stop smiling! Gosh, it still seems like a dream sometimes. 

We did tell our families & then the world sooner than most, but I was showing so much, & we felt in our hearts that no matter what happens, our Little One is a life to be celebrated. 

Y'all, symptoms showed up so soon! 

I've been sick since week 4. Showing since week 6. Had to buy maternity pants at week 7. I've burped a ton. Only craved mandarin oranges & veggie subs so far. Can't even look at broccoli! Sickness started easing up a bit at last Friday at week 12 [thankfully...& I'm praying that trend continues!]. And each new day brings new things- each a sweet reminder of the new journey we're on & the gift we've been given. 

We're so thankful...so thankful to be on this journey with so many. And we can't wait to share it with you. 

What's The Point?

Another year. 

Another year behind us. Another 365 days of life [lived]. And another year is just hours away from greeting us. 

If you're like me, that's kind of overwhelming & exciting at the same time. 

I don't know what to expect.

I don't know if I [or others] can endure what's to come. 

I just don't know. 

And I really hate the not knowing part. 

But after a year of blessings, big changes, good changes, difficult changes, celebrations, disappointments, heartache, desperately wanting to fix things [what's new!?], and more empathy that I thought I could ever experience, I'm thankful that I did more than survive this year. 

I felt it. 

I mourned it. 

I celebrated it. 

I lived it. 

Because Christ lives. 

Because He [is]. 

And that's the point. That's the point I learned from this year. It's the point of everyday. Every moment. Every. thing. It's the answer I keep coming back to. 

And that can be the point of this year. 

No, I don't know what this year will bring. I don't know what I [or others...this world] will have to face, but I know that I can. And I can face it walking beside others...sharing in their struggles & celebrations, too. 

Because He [is]. 

I can face it, feel it, mourn it, and celebrate it. I can live it. Because Jesus lives; he's dwelling, carrying our fears, failures, past & future, and breathing life into every single struggle & joy. 

Because He just [is]. 

So, if you're feeling overwhelmed about what's to come, know that you're not alone. And you can face this year knowing that you have a savior that's living, sovereign, & cares. Nothing is too little & nothing is too big. 

No matter what this year brings, allow yourself to feel it, mourn it, and celebrate it. Live it. 

Because He [is]. 

30 Reasons for 30 Years

Each year birthdays become even more special. 

Call me extra sensitive, which is true, but [life is just so precious], how could they not? 

So last weekend, the hubby turned 30! And naturally, I made it a big deal. And we decided to take a little get-away trip to Orlando, FL. 

Cheap plane tickets, time away, & theme parks- irresistible. 

I also thought I'd be that extra cool & creative wife and celebrate him for 30 days by giving him a tiny surprise each day. Piece of cake- said no full-time working, life-balancer wife. Ever. 

So that kinda failed. Royally failed. 

But I did surprise him with some much needed cold-weather necessities. And regardless, he would've been just as content with a homemade cake and a movie. Or even just a card. That man is so simple & humble [which is why he kinda hated me for telling the admission lady at Disney that is was his birthday...because she gave him a birthday pin...and I may have made him wear that said pin. All day.] 

Which brings me to all my mushy thoughts & 30 reasons why I celebrate him. 

1. His faith. 

Christ is first. It's authentic. 

2. His love. 

It's pure. And he gives his all. 

3. His silent ways.

He's not always a talker. But his words are full. 

4. His honesty. 

He doesn't fluff. He tells it like it is. 

5. His work-ethic. 

He gives everything he can. He works hard! 

6. His balance. 

He balances work and family like a champ. We are always most important. 

7. His patience. 

He's so calm. He thinks things through rationally. 

8. His humor. 

He's so sarcastic & witty. He's the king of movie quotes. 

9. His intellect. 

He's smart & rocked law school. He remembers people & historical facts like no other. 

10. His love of presidents. 

He's always loved them. And he loves to learn all that he can about them. 

11. His love of sports. 

Our Braves, Vols, & Chelsea. He's well-rounded. 

12. His dedication.

He doesn't waver. He doesn't quit. 

13. He loves Christmas. 

It's his favorite holiday. He's legitimately sad when it's over. 

14. His love of documentaries. 

We watch them a lot. They never get old with him. 

15. He's not afraid to be nerdy. 

He likes what he likes. And he doesn't care what people think. 

16. He's constant. 

His love doesn't waver. Even when we're at odds. 

17. His talents. 

He can sing & play guitar & trombone. It melts me. 

18. His love of maps. 

It's so random. And cute. 

19. His heart for animals. 

He loves all kinds, especially whales! And our sweet Dooley. 

20. His respect. 

He respects, loves, & honors his family. He holds them in high regard. 

21. He rarely eats sweets. 

It's out of the ordinary. But when he does, his fav is pineapple upside down cake! 

22. His love of traveling. 

We don't get to often. But we plan & dream all the time. 

23. He's a kid magnet. 

Kids will just come up to him in public. Maybe they sense he's a kid-at-heart? 

24. He has great hair. 

I mean, need I say more? 

25. He used to be in a punk band. 

He wore Hurley & skater shoes. And he still likes all genres of music.

26. I converted him to share my love of Harry Potter. 

It took a while. But we nerd out together!

27. He loves to make me laugh. 

He tells me all the time- seeing my happiness makes him happy. 

28. He really is humble. 

He doesn't like attention. He sees other's strengths. 

29. We're opposites. 

He complements me. We balance each other. 

30. He's Kyle Bentley Fuller.

His middle name is the coolest. And he is who our Creator & Lord made, and is molding him to be. 

Mushy-gushy stuff aside, he's my best friend. And I'm so thankful for his life. And in times where I'm not acting or being thankful, I pray to remember these things. And the million other reasons that I celebrate him. 

And most of all, I want to remember that I love & celebrate him, because Jesus loves & celebrates him. 

[If you haven't written a list of reasons you celebrate people, I recommend it. It's such a reminder of their individuality and Jesus in them.]

You should take a peek into our fun trip! We highly recommend these attractions, [especially The Wizarding World of HarryPotter]! We had a blast! 

Florida simply has the best sunsets. 

Could this be more real? I think not. And please excuse the 3 dreary photos. iPhones apparently have auto-edit settings now? Woops. 

Giddy. Just giddy. 

Yeah, we were there. 

And we were kinda happy. 

Yes, please. 

Accidentally started at the new park, but we hopped the train and went to Hogsmeade to meet up with Nathan and Mary Beth. 

We could live there. It was so fun to be back. 

Had a little lunch at the Three Broomsticks. 

Made a little call to the Ministry of Magic. 

King's Cross! 

The Night Bus. In all its glory. 

Entrance to Diagon Alley. 

It was so detailed! 

Honeydukes Candy back in Hogsmeade. 

Fudge. 

Again, so detailed! 

The Weasley's Joke Store. 

The Leaky Cauldron entrance. 

Our dear friends, Nathan and Mary Beth, that we spent the day with! So fun. 

We purchased interactive wands that  were tons of fun at little "spell stations" they had marked. 

It clearly took focus. 

And our magic talents were shocking. ;)

Did I mention the dragon breathed real fire. No? Well it did! 

Waiting for the ride, Escape from Gringotts wasn't boring. Photo credit to Nathan. 

They were kinda so real looking it was creepy. Photo credit to Nathan. 

He was crazy real, too. Photo credit to Nathan. 

Wand twinsies. 

Poor photo quality, but it was so dreamy to end the day back at Hogsmeade. 

Day 2. Epcot or bust! The big birthday day! :)

No question where we were! 

When the wife makes you wear a birthday button, and you get a million Happy Birthdays...;) 

Loved walking & tasting through the different countries. 

The architecture is so detailed.  

Hm, do you know this guy? 

Most of our time was spent in England. :)

Rose & Crown. 

This was the 10th generation of Twinings Tea! I'm not a creeper at all. 

Poor quality. Night-life was just as crowded. Who knew the Food & Wine festival was such a big deal?  

Fish & Chips by the water. Done & done. 

Rain made its way into the area around 7, so coffee and an English store was a good little recharge. 

It was kinda hard to say goodbye. Minus our feet...they were more than ready.

Plus, we missed this guy a little too much. 

We seriously had so much fun. 

Time away from the hustle & bustle was just what we needed! And getting to act like kids in your favorite theme parks is what every 30 year old needs! ;) 

Kyle, I love celebrating you & our Lord's grace.