Unto Us a Son is Given...

I have sat here thinking about the significance of this scripture and it's reality, this overwhelming gift of God, for a while now, and I'm struck by the fact that I could write 10 books on just what it means to me, not to mention mankind, and my words would still fall short of capturing the full impact of this profound gift in my life. Then again, perhaps, I couldn't write a single sentence, because each time I begin to write, I feel deeply how completely inadequate my words are in doing His Wonderful Majesty any justice. How beautiful He is.... In just trying to express my gratitude, even in a single, worthy, sentence, I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face, speechless....

Thank you, Father, for sending us your Son. Thank you, my precious Lord Jesus for being my Savior.

ABC's

I have that feeling right now like I'm already forgetting something cute Harrison did that I didn't want to forget. But I do remember two things so I'm going to write them down before they disappear into my scattered mommy mind! : )
We've been working with Harrison a bit on learning the alphabet - not often, but on occasion. A week or so ago we also bought the Letter Factory video, which he absolutely loves now. Well, tonight Harrison and I were playing in the playroom and he picked up a letter magnet and said, "I." It was facing him, so I was in suspense to see if it was really the "I." As he handed it to me I looked in shock because it WAS the letter "I"! Then he picked up another one and said "J." Same thing! He was right again! So he picked up another one, Q, but this time he said, "Apple!" I laughed out loud in my surprise. Never thought of it, but a Q does look like an apple! I'm enjoying his little mind at work. Cutie! He also brings me all different kinds of toys that are orange and tells me, "oran."
The other sweet thing he did tonight was to go peacefully and willingly from playing in the playroom to go get ready for bed. He was playing with a car when I finally said, after a few preparing statements that it was almost time for bed, "Okay lets go get ready for bed now." He just set down his little car in front of him and looked down at it and waved and said, "Bye, bye," in his sweet little voice and got up with me to go brush his teeth. Adorable.
Okay, I'm going to go back to cleaning the house now. I just had to share! Hope everyone is having a great week!

Who's Who?

I guess we actually took the right babies home from the hospital! There's just a little family resemblance! : )

More Pics...

Thank you, Kristin, for our spur of the moment family pic!!

Happy Thoughts of a Mommy

I soooo wish Harrison's little face was in focus on this pic. I'm still a beginner photographer with a complex camera, so it often takes me a while to get the perfect pic, and unfortunately it was getting pretty dark when I took this, so I ran out of time! But I loved his expression in this one anyway. I'm gonna give this photo spot another shot when I get a chance! This is the only pic I can get to download today. I just keep getting errors. I'll have to figure out what's wrong with the other pics. Bummer. But I can still write about my boys!



Hudson is just beginning that fun stage where he responds to smiles and conversation with his own precious smiles and sounds. What is it about baby's smiles that just makes your insides turn flips? It's like unlocking a little hidden treasure chest and catching your first glimpse of what's inside. What a precious little soul he is! He's two months old today! Poor little guy had 5 shots this afternoon! He's not quite his happy self tonight.

Jeff and I and the boys took a walk this morning around our yard, just talking and letting Harrison run around to his heart's delight. It was so fun to talk about plans we have and trying to figure out where to put a play yard for the boys. I even climbed a tree! This sparked Harrison's interest, naturally, so he got his first tree climbing experience. I'm so bummed I didn't have my camera with me, but then I guess I wouldn't have climbed the tree in the first place. : ) Harrison eventually got tired and wanted Daddy or I to hold him from time to time. Instead of saying "Hold me or Hold you," like you would expect, he reached up and said, "I'm your boy." Yep, a couple hearts melted, and he got picked up several times this morning with that line. We're always asking him if he's our boy, so he must know that's a way to our hearts. But it was so innocent and sweet. One of the times I picked him up he was playfully trying to catch my eye and keep me from looking anywhere else but at him. He leaned over and smiled at me and his eyes had such a precious, fun-loving expression like he was inviting me to fun new game he had invented, but then when I gave him all of my attention along with a peck on the cheek, he surprised me by throwing his arms around my neck in a big hug and then giving me a sweet, little kiss smack on the lips! Once he observed that his new game was a success, I got lots more hugs and kisses. It was so sweet! I love my tender-hearted Harrison...my boy.

Harrison's Birthday Pics & A Few More

Harrison had a great birthday. It was so weird for me to watch him know what to do with gifts without any help or instruction. And he did it his very own way! He patiently, very systematically, tore strips of paper off of the gifts and handed each piece to his cousin Caitlyn who was sitting beside him. This caught on and soon it was "the thing" to have Harrison honor you with some of his wrapping paper! He was so careful to give Cassidy and Micah their fair share. He'd just go down the line of them sitting on the couch one at a time in order, and each of them held their wad of wrapping paper in their little hands. It was so cute! I was so happy he learned how to say "Thank you" just a couple of weeks before his birthday. He got to use it a lot and it was so precious. I'm so excited about getting to hear his little thoughts this year as he learns to talk more...in English, that is! Anyway, enough of my gabbing. It's the pictures that say the most! I'm including a few from today also. We went to the river this evening and Daddy and Harrison had a great time catching baby frogs! :)
P.S. Somehow I made a photo into a link and I can't seem to get rid of it or fix it, so just push on the link in the middle of all the photos and that photo will come up! Gotta keep things interesting!! : )











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Jeffrey Hudson Leininger

Thank you Kristin for taking these...we love them!

"Baby Hudson" is here! Born 6lbs. 8.3ozs, 18 1/2 inches long in just 3 hours of labor! Yea! We're having so much fun getting to know the little guy. He's a very content, easy going baby for the most part, and sleeps pretty well, too! Thank you, Lord! He's such a sweetheart, and his infrequent cry just sounds so sad it breaks your heart!
Harrison LOVES his little brother and has gotten past being extra clingy with me. I'm really missing holding him and singing to him before I put him in bed. He always laid his head on my shoulder and played with my hair and tried to sing along, but now that I can't hold him, he's kind of dropped the whole thing. I would sit on the floor and do it, but I'd still have to have someone come in and put him in the bed for me, so, oh well! I'm going to try to start the routine back once I'm able to. We'll see how that goes!
Harrison turned 2 years old on Tuesday, Sept. 30! His English has suddenly taken off! I say that because there was no shortage of talking going on before, however we simply couldn't understand all of it. Now he's saying so many new words each day, we can't keep up with them, but he's making us laugh or shocking us with his new knowledge constantly.
We are so grateful to God for our healthy, happy boys! It's so fun to have two to love now! What an amazing year this is going to be experiencing so many firsts! I guess once you have children, the "firsts" never end! We're loving it!
Here's some more recent pictures of Harrison, and of course, Hudson! I tried to download a little video of Harrison holding Hudson, but it was still processing after half an hour, so I guess I'll try again another time.
The first two pictures below are of us on one of our last few dates before Hudson came, and us at the bookstore attempting to pick out baby names (we should know better :).

"Aunt" Kinah with Baby Hudson

Harrison absolutely LOVES his little brother!!


Making funny faces with Daddy in the Guadalupe River

Pictures at last!!

Caught the very first time on film!!! Too perfect...

Smelling the rocks...


He was dancing...I love this picture.




Daddy's boots...

I'm still here!!!

Sorry, I checked out for 3 weeks!!! I need to change the title of the blog if I'm not going to keep it up to date, huh? Weeeelll, what's been goin' on... Jeff was gone for 3 1/2 days and 3 nights. Interestingly enough, Harrison had his hardest, most fussy days ever those same exact days!!! Poor guy was cutting 3 molars and 3 insizors at the same time. He's doing muuuuuch better now, and so am I. Lots of good, busy days, but for whatever reason, I just haven't had anything to write when I thought of sitting down to do it.

I'm almost 11 weeks along now. I'm at my most emotional stage (9-12 weeks last time and right on schedule this time), which poses a challenge, but a great opportunity to practice patience and self-control. I can't say this last week and a half has been without its failures in those areas. But God and I are working on it together. He's so patient with ME, and thankfully, so is my husband, which helps me handle myself not being myself so much better! Harrison is as cute and precious as ever, but definitely exerting his will and making it known through loud, high pitched noises when his way is not chosen. Parenting is evolving to a new stage as well, as a result, and that is sometimes very exhausting emotionally! : ) But I praise the Lord for Harrison's very tender heart that makes correction relatively quick and simple. He always wants a hug, sweet boy.

We're in baby season on the ranch right now-two healthy colts, 3 lambs with some serious complications and plenty of healthy ones too, as well as some adorable calves. And to top it off, Darin and Jody, our terrific neighbors who manage the ranch, have puppies!! The colts and 3 lambs all came in a matter of two nights. Jody and Darin got to see the 2nd colt be born! Very fun! But, the story on the lambs is bitter-sweet. Jody was up feeding them at night for a few nights. Two of them (twins) had major neurological issues and the vet said they wouldn't make it - one died and the other had to be put down. But the third baby, who was basically bent in half with her back legs beside her, has straightened out almost completely and after just two days is running around behind us, happy and healthy and absolutely adorable! Jody parted for last night with her newborn, and let me do the feeding so she could get some much needed sleep. I love baby animals, so it was fun. It was so cute to watch her follow Harrison around the yard this morning. She follows us just like she would her mommy. I think she liked his height. : ) We went for a walk yesterday with our kiddos each in strollers and Jody's two dogs in tow, and along for the ride in the bottom of Jody's stroller came our little lamb. I'm eating up this spring weather, as I'm sure everyone is. I've been so grateful for walks with Jody. It's a great outlet for good talks and much needed exercise.

I have pictures I really want to post, but I'm out of time. I'll get them on as soon as I can though. (By the way, I wrote this on Feb. 29th, but didn't get to post it until now... : )

Couldn't Sleep...

I went to bed early, but laid there thinking about who the next President of our country will be. Safe to say, any of the realistic options left to us scare me in some way or many ways. I keep praying for our country. What will happen in the coming 4 -8 years. What will be irreversible? I know God is Soveriegn, but I also know that He hands nations over to their evil desires when they reject Him. It makes me so sad to see our nation handed over to godless leadership, or worse yet, leadership by one who worships a false god, though he happens to be the most conservative. I prayed for salvation and a radical change of heart for the one who becomes President. I finally got out of bed because I couldn't ignore my hungry tummy anymore, and obviously my mind wouldn't stop. I sat down for a bowl of Cheerios with a banana and some precious quiet time with my Lord. I opened my Bible right up to Psalm 76. God is so kind to comfort me. Listen to this... vs. 4 "You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. (Sounds so beautiful...) Valiant men lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still. YOU ALONE ARE TO BE FEARED. Who can stand before you when you are angry? From Heaven you pronounced your judgement, and the land feared and was quiet- when you, O God, rose to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. Surely your wrath against men brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. He breaks the spirit of rulers; He is feared by the kings of the earth." This is NIV, although I read it in NAS and Amplified. Nonetheless, the message was so clear. Our God is Almighty, Just and He Reigns on High above ALL. He is the only One to be feared. Our leadership can be broken or swayed like mere reeds in the power of His hand and there's nothing they can do. Of course, I am curious what judgement if any He has pronounced on OUR land. Lord, please be with us. I do remember there were a lot more prayer meetings called for our country when Clinton was president. Maybe that will happen again. I pray that God will bring good to our nation ultimately, either through or regardless of our leadership. But thanks be to God, HE REIGNS, and the final victory is HIS! Sweet dreams!

A Very Memorable Week...

This has been a difficult, but special week and a half. Our whole family came down with a HORRIBLE cold bug. This was not my usual annual cold, which I actually already had at Christmas. This was a MEAN one. Jeff even caught it and he doesn't catch anything. Soooo, we quaranteened ourselves in hopes of not spreading the good cheer! : ) Thankfully, Jeff, with his super immune system didn't lose any energy from the cold like Harrison and I, and has taken such amazing care of us. This has been the blessing... I have experienced such love and care from him like I could never have imagined. He's gone over and above and this is a huge show of love for him because he will even tell you, it's not exactly his thing. He basically took over Harrison's care and it's been so fun to watch him bond with Harrison on a whole new level through this experience. Harrison had a day where he was so miserable that all he wanted to do was be held and lay or sleep on his Daddy's chest (between naps). It was so precious...and sad. Jeff ate up the snuggle time, though. I can only imagine what he'll be like with a little girl if we have one. Jeff put him down for all of his naps, made most of his meals and mine, too, plus did the laundry, dishes, and everything that needed doing. I am grateful beyond words because I've had literally no strength. Finally, last Friday, it happened... He had gotten up early with Harrison and let me sleep as long as he could before he had to go into town for some appointments. He woke me up at 10:00am and said with such a confident, in-control expression, "Alright, the boy's been fed and changed. I changed a poopy diaper. (He always has to announce that. So cute.) If he needs to eat again, there is left over ham and eggs in the fridge or you can give him a banana... I should be back by...." I have no idea what my expression was as I sat up in bed listening in disbelief, except I know I began to smile. Am I really hearing this!!! What a role change!! I never saw it coming!! Needless to say, Jeff has a whole new confidence level in parenting after this week and I think we have a Daddy's boy all the way now. He loves me, but boy, does he love His Daddy. I love seeing it. And I really love seeing first hand that Jeff is as wonderful a partner in parenting as he is in life.

Other new things that happened during this week- Harrison has begun to talk! His favorite thing to say is "I love you." It comes out something like "I dub yo." He varies it. So precious! He says it back to you after you say it and often just comes up to you and says it. He also says, "Hello" but doesn't bother too much with the "H" at the beginning. He says a bunch of other things, none of which we understand yet, but I'm sure we'll catch on little by little!

He's such a snuggle bug!! He comes up and lays his head on you and sighs, and loves to run up and give you hugs if you're on the floor. We spend plenty of time there as a result. Even Jeff and Harrison's wrestling matches on the floor are frequented by hug breaks which I find pretty hilarious to watch.

Random cute things he did this week: Found a Q-tip I had set out to clean his ears and put it right up to his ear with a little twist like he knew just what to do with it; Loaded all of the laundry off of the couch into the laundry basket, pushed it around with an important aire and then unloaded again; Wrestled and rolled around on the floor with a big teddy bear making plenty of boyish grunts and a few squeals; Picked up the remote control and pointed it directly at the tv, punched a button, and then put it back down like he had done what he needed to, never taking his eye off the screen. We were watching a golfing movie and whenever people clapped, he clapped. He also got into our loud celebration over the Giants beating the Pats! He knows just what to do when we yell, "Touchdown!" By the way, that was the best Super Bowl Game ever!

I finally have a bit of energy today. I'm relishing it and praying it will only increase. We're all still working on getting over the last of the symptoms. I've been eating Kale salads (!) with olive oil and vinegar and actually liking it, (!!) plus hamburgers, chicken soup, carrots and lots of fruit, but I tell ya, this baby eats an aweful lot. I can't seem to go an hour or two without getting hungry again! I'm praising God that this week hasn't been combined with serious morning sickness. I've ony experienced some queeziness at times, nothing major. We're 7 weeks along as of yesterday. So I might make it through this pregnancy with just some indigestion and blahs here and there like last time. Thank you, Lord! My first appointment is next Tuesday.

Well, I'm afraid I let this get too long, but I'm just gonna post it anyway!! God has blessed us with a wonderful week, so thanks for letting me share it!! Time to go eat AGAIN!!! Love you all!

Di

I love my purpose in life...

I woke up this morning and the first things that rolled through my mind were the various things/tasks that this day held for me. A "To Do List" began to take shape, and then that momentary feeling of blah. But, I shrugged off the list for the moment and I breathed a prayer that took it back to the basics for me, "God, help me to glorify you today." Then I laid there for a minute absorbing the wonderful fact that THAT is truly why I live. It's my sole purpose for living, and God made it such an easy thing to do!!! I felt like He was just smiling at me as He watched me process the wonderful simplicity of thought that He intended to dictate my daily frame of mind and perspective. Yes, I've had this realization at times before, but somehow it gets crowded out eventually as I focus on the "To Do List." So I prayed again, "God, please make this truth be the foundation of my mind. Help it to become the way I think." I got up out of bed so energized for the day, it was funny. There's a phrase in an old worship song that says, "the reason I live is to worship You." I love that. It always comforts me. It takes all of the pressure to accomplish this or that or be good at whatever, completely off and lets me just love my Lord and be loved. I have so much to learn as a wife and mommy, and as a friend. So much. But maybe, just maybe if I just practice this, everything else will fall into place.... Lord, please let me glorify You today.

Another September Baby on the Way!!!!!

It's been a long time since I've posted. Primarily, because I was hoping this could be a virtual baby book of sorts to archive everything, and then I found out that I had no way of keeping it long-term, so I lost my incentive to put the time into it. : ) But, I decided I wanted to use it anyway, so out-of-town friends and loved ones that we just don't see often enough could see Harrison growing. He's a laugh a minute.


And NOW, as you saw in the title, we just found out last week that we're expecting another baby!!! We're so excited!!! So are the Grandparents, of course! I was
praying that our kiddos wouldn't be more than two years apart, but just trusting God's perfect timing, so I'm thrilled at His timing and so grateful!!!! This one is due September 22nd, just 11 days before Harrison's due date, Oct. 4th, and just 8 days before Harrison's birthday, September 30th. We may be celebrating birthday's together, at least for a while! : ) We can hardly wait to find out what the baby is. No, we're not big on waiting eight and half months for the surprise. Eighteen weeks is plenty long for us!!! : ) So, check back here in 10 to 15 weeks if you want to know!!! ; ) We're praying for Baby's health and strength and for a tender heart toward God, that God will be glorified in this life, and that His purposes will be accomplished!

Here's some more recent pics of our boy!! By the way, I just got an amazing camera,(late Christmas gift from my sweet husband! - I had to research my options!!) so as soon as I get some pictures going, I'll post them. SO EXCITED! I can already tell it's going to make a huge difference! Happy new year to everyone. Love and blessings too!

Di



Christmas Eve with cousin Cassidy!!!




The Pumpkin Patch...




These last two are from his first birthday...