The past few days...

 

For starters, we went to the National Air Force Museum. It's located here in Dayton. I had no idea that the Wright Brothers were from here or that the air force base was so huge! If you haven't visited this museum, you need to! It was one of those times (that are becoming more frequent as I get older) when I say to myself, "I wish I would've paid more attention in history class. The planes and the history were breathtaking, and it almost brought tears to my eyes (doesn't take much lately--thank you, pregnancy hormones! ;)

 

We saw the EXACT bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima in WWII. They found it and repaired it, and here it is. It's called the "Little Boy."

 

Here is the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the "Fat Man" bomb on Nagasaki to end WWII.

 

We also got to see the Wright Brothers airplane! Those men were brave to fly on that thing. No way you could've gotten me on there.

 

Last night, I snapped this sweet picture of M and C playing games on the iPad before bedtime. Be still my heart!

 

This morning, we got to spend some time with our new friends at the pool. Madilyn loves playing with her new friend, Olivia! And, she misses her friend Olivia from Erie, too ;) Madilyn is becoming quite the water bug, and she is getting so brave! I'm proud of her!
All in all, we are so blessed. God is so faithful and good to lead us and direct our footsteps. What an exciting year ahead!

Weekend Fun!

This weekend, we had a great time! Cameron was off, and we had some amazing family time. Did I mention our hotel serves a hot breakfast every morning? So, we start everyday off with that. It's been so nice for this momma to not have to make breakfast (and I have a dishwasher and garbage disposal here!--What! What!). Although I miss making breakfast (I think mine tastes better than theirs), it's been a nice break to only worry about providing two meals a day for our family.
Back to this weekend. Saturday morning, we just spent time together as a family. Poor Cameron needed a little notebook (he's been writing notes on NAPKINS this week at the hospital!), so we went to Walmart and explored. We ate lunch in our room, took a family nap (my favorite!) and visited a new church that evening. The church is: Apex Community Church in Kettering, OH. It's about a 25 minute drive from our hotel. We absolutely LOVED it! A friend who is from Dayton recommended it (thanks, Bethany!), so we tried it out and immediately felt at "home." Plus, HELLO! It was a SATURDAY night service. You don't have to tell Cameron and me twice. We're there. We love Saturday night church and haven't been able to do that since we moved from Texas. The people, the sermon, the worship, the atmosphere were all great. I think we'll be going back this weekend. Madilyn loved her class, too. When we got there, she had on purple sunglasses and was sitting with 5 little girls, talking and playing. Warms this momma's heart, for sure.
After church, we got on our PJ's and headed to the drive-in movies!!! We saw Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University. The movie started at 9:30, so we were thinking Miss M might fall asleep while we were there (we didn't get home unitl 2 am!), but she stayed awake and giggled and ate popcorn and candy the entire time. It was SO MUCH FUN.

Sunday we found a nearby park with a playground and a hiking trail. We spent the morning there as a family, including the two little white fur babies. We had an amazing weekend. Today marks the beginning of a new week for us, and it marks the final week of Cameron's Internal Medicine rotation. Next week will be what we've been waiting for--Cameron to rotate in Radiology. Only 18 days left in Dayton.
A scripture that jumped off the page this morning for me was:
"My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:5-8
Happy Monday from the Smiths!

Dayton Days

Here we are, living up our days in Dayton, OH. Cameron is rotating at Grandview Hospital, and we are "living" in an extended stay suite. It's not too bad :) The best part is, we get to see Cameron every evening!!! That totally makes it worth it. Also, we have the "Church Channel," and Robert Morris was on the other day, so Madilyn played on the computer while I went to church. Nice :)

 

We've been swimming a couple of times. There's an outdoor pool that's pretty warm, so as long as it isn't raining (which it has been the majority of our stay thus far), we've gone swimming. Madilyn is turning into a little water bug and getting more confident each time, which is saying a LOT seeing where she started last summer. Yay for progress!
We visited the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery this week while Cameron was working, and it was SO MUCH FUN! While I love the children's museum in Erie, the Boonshoft museum DEFINITELY puts ours to shame. It was Ah-may-zing! We spent almost 3 hours there, and we were busy the entire time.

 

 And here is our little veterinarian. She's telling me the prognosis of my stuffed animals I brought in. The x-rays don't look too promising. Loving x-rays just like her daddy :)

This exhibit was BY FAR Madilyn's favorite. She was the judge, and she threw me in jail no less than 3 times. We had to keep coming back. And, let me tell you, she's a tough judge. Can't you see the look of disgust on her face?

We are off to explore some more today. We'll see what the day brings. Blessings, my friends :)

Never Once Have We Ever Walked Alone...

This Sunday, Madilyn and I went to church on our own because Cameron was studying for Step 2 of his board exams. This is very atypical. We have gone one other time without him since living here. It didn't really bother me. I was excited to attend Grace Church and worship and hear the Word.
It all sounds good and well until it actually happens.
Worship starts and here comes the song. THE SONG. The song that I have cried to a number of times in my house over the past 2 years. The song who's words carried me through infertility, loneliness and all of the uncertainty that comes with this season of our lives.

The song says:
"Standing on this mountaintop
Seeing just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battleground
Seeing just how much You've done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful
God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore, we'll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful
God, You are faithful

This song starts up, and y'all, I was a mess! Standing there in church, all by myself, I probably had the strangest look on my face. I couldn't sing. I couldn't smile. I couldn't look up. I knew I was about to lose it.
All I could do was remember all that God has brought us through. Here we are, Cameron staring down his final board exam until after graduation. Here we are, pregnant with our second child. Here we are, not knowing where we will be in the next year. Here we are. Right here. Right now. No clue what lies ahead, but held within the perfect, loving arms of our Heavenly Father. He had brought us through so much. It's been a process. Wow.
I found a note this week that I had written to Cameron while we still lived in Canyon, TX. He had been accepted to LECOM, and I wrote down the words from the book of Ruth: "Wherever you go, I will follow." Followed by, "I'm so excited for this new adventure that lies ahead of us." Oh. My. What an adventure it has been!
We are on the heels of the final year of medical school. I cannot believe we are at this place in Cameron's education. He has worked so diligently and has come so far. I couldn't be more proud of my hard-working husband! What a crazy, fun adventure our lives have become. I can't wait to see what's next.

The Road to Answered Prayers...

We found out this month that we are expecting Baby #2 around New Year's 2014! We are thrilled! Even Madilyn slept with the sonogram picture last night. As we were leaving the doctors office, she exclaimed, "Oh, I'm so glad I finally have a picture of our baby! I've been waiting a long time for this!"
We all have waited. And waited. And prayed. And waited.
January of 2012, Cameron and I decided we were ready to add to our family. We got surprise pregnant with Madilyn (the best surprise EVER!), so we figured it wouldn't take long to conceive again, and we wanted to wait until he was almost done with medical school to try. We figured it might take a month or two.
Well, by December 2012, I still wasn't pregnant. I called my doctor's office with a question, and she wanted me to come in and start fertility testing. After all, I was 30 at the time, and let's face it, not getting any younger. I refused to think there was something wrong. I just thought we kept "missing" it, for whatever reason.
After 2 months of testing, on Valentine's Day 2013, I found out my left fallopian tube was COMPLETELY blocked. The dr. wanted to do surgery to try to remove the scar tissue and increase our chances of getting pregnant. However, it just so happens that it would also increase our chances of tubal pregnancies and miscarriages since that tube might not ever be completely clear. After weighing out the options, we decided against the surgery.
At this time, I was basically at rock bottom. Every day was a struggle. I tried each day to enjoy the sweet family that we have, and just be okay, but I wasn't. It took me FINALLY coming to the realization that if I never had another child in my womb, I would be okay. Boy, talk about laying down a dream! I had always pictured having 2-4 children...having an only child was never on the radar. What do you do when you're smacked in the face with the reality that your dreams may never come true?
You trust God.
That's all I could do.
I had to literally trust Him that He cares enough about me that maybe there's a reason I'm not pregnant. Maybe, just maybe, He has other plans. Maybe, He knew that Madilyn needed to be an only child.
There were so many tears over the past year. Random tears. Tears in church. Tears over coffee with friends. Tears when I was all alone and realized yet again that I'd started my period and wasn't pregnant. Tears when I found out friends were pregnant. Tears when I'd see siblings playing together. Oh, boy. I was a wreck.
When we prayed about the surgery and decided against it, all I can say is I was given peace that passes understanding. No more tears. I was able to move on. To be okay. To know that I literally can do nothing. I may never conceive again. And, I'm finally okay with it.
Fast forward three months, and here we are. PREGNANT! I feel that for some reason, I had to lay down my "dream," and submit to God's dreams for me. When I did, when I truly laid it down, He honored my dream by fulfilling the desires of my heart. I am overwhelmed by His blessing.
Our baby is 7 weeks in utero. Our baby has a heartbeat. Our baby is growing perfectly. Our baby is due at the perfect time for Cameron's med school career. Our baby is already loved by their BIG SISTER more than words can explain. Our baby is fearfully and wonderfully made by God.
Some may think it's strange to announce such news so early in a pregnancy. "Don't they know there's a risk of miscarriage in the first trimester?" Yes, we know. But, we also know that life begins at conception, and God has placed a tiny life in my womb. He has fulfilled the desires of my heart. It is up to Him to sustain this precious life. After all, this baby is HIS baby.
We are so honored to be "expecting," and I am praying for my friends who are still in the stage of waiting in life that God will also bless your womb. My heart aches deeply for those that have struggled with infertility and felt the hope zapped from your heart by a negative diagnosis. Having children is a Godly desire. I pray God fulfills the desires of your heart and blesses your family in His perfect timing. He is sovereign, and to Him be all the glory!
The road to answered prayers is really simple as a child of God. God always answers one of three ways: Yes, Not yet, or I have something better for you. We can trust Him. He is our loving Father, and we can always trust that He has our best interest at heart, no matter how rough the road is getting there.

Princess Day!

It was Princess Day at the ExpERIEnce Children's Museum. Madilyn and Olivia met up for some awesome times. There were "REAL" princesses, and they got their hair done, nails painted, made princess wands and bracelets and got to prance around in their favorite outfits. All in all, such a fun day.

 Two Cinderellas with Snow White and Princess Jasmine

 Merida (from Brave) and Cinderella (aka Madilyn)

 Two Cinderellas on a firetruck

 Madilyn was in AWE! She was definitely star struck.

And, the event was free for members.

I'm so glad Allison reminded me about it--thanks, Allison! :)

 

Texas Vacation!

We redeemed our bad vacation to Philly with an AMAZING vacation to Texas! We flew into Dallas, and Cameron's parents picked us up at the airport. We ate and headed back to Abilene. Our time in Abilene was super relaxing, which was just what we needed! Tons of sunshine and fresh air. Ahhh...

 

 As soon as Mark and Sherla (aka Nana and Papa) picked us up, they whisked us off for killer good Mexican food at Uncle Julio's in Ft. Worth. Y'all, I missed decent hot sauce like you wouldn't believe (yes, we call it hot sauce, not salsa...however, if you ask for hot sauce in Erie, you will get some Frank's Red Hot wing sauce...so say SALSA. When in Erie, do as the Erie-ites do). haha

 And, here is the beautiful, sunny Texas sky that greeted us as we pulled into Abilene. So wonderful. We could smell sprinklers watering lawns, hear birds singing, and we finally felt some warm sunshine. I left my Vitamin D supplements in Erie. We went the natural way in Texas. 

 We went to see The Croods on opening day. It was a cute movie.

 And, we had delicious Sharon Allen's BBQ. My mouth is watering. I started to feel my head clear and my old self coming back from all the BBQ and Mexican food. And, no. I'm not joking.

You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can't take the Texas out of the girl.

 Cameron found me a Mason Jar glass with a built-in straw and a lid.

 We went to the Abilene Zoo! Madilyn, Nana and Papa rode the train, we fed the catfish, saw TONS of snakes (they have a HUGE snake exhibit--yuck!), and I got a sunburn. Yes! It was awesome :)

 Madilyn ran inside to grab something and came out with a big sunhat. This was what she did for lots of time...stayed outside and enjoyed the sunshine. We all did.

 We went to Champions Church in Abilene, and we were so blessed by the ministry there. In fact, we were prayed for by a doctor and his wife. It was very powerful. Then, they had us over that afternoon, sat us down, and told us the things they wish they would've known in our position. Pure wisdom. I felt the Lord just pulling us away, giving us a heart-to-heart talk, and equipping us to handle the seasons ahead of us. I can't even describe how much this moment meant to us. It was such an amazing moment, and I know we'll always remember it.

 Afterwards, we ate dinner at Taco Bueno (which is by far BETTER than Taco Bell), and we drove past our first home. It still looks the same...which isn't good since it's been 8 years ago that we lived there. Come on people, let's go for an update! :)

Madilyh had her first trip to Mr. Gattis. Oh boy. I'm pretty sure Cameron and I enjoyed it every bit as much as she did. The "whack-a-mole" machine was jammed and it kept replaying on our turn...so we got like 200 tickets just playing it over and over. Lots of laughter, for sure! :)

 

Cameron and I went on a date to Hastings, just like the old days :) I got my favorite Chai Tea Latte (they make the BEST one...Yes, better than Starbucks!), and Cameron had black coffee, as always.

 

Then, we made the drive to Amarillo. We drove with Cameron's parents, and then we picked up his Grandma Patsy for a birthday lunch. We all rode together, and there were not enough seats, so Cameron rode in the hatch back. He's a trooper. 

 Madilyn and Grandma Patsy had a nice car ride.

 I FINALLY got to meet my nephew Henry Milo Taylor, who is 4 months old!

 Madilyn had a blast in Amarillo. Here is what she did most of the time--drive the Escalade.

 The weather in Amarillo was absolutely FABULOUS! Here are Madilyn, Grammy and Grampy (my parents) walking back from playing at the playground.

 I got to ride to get dinner one night with my dad. It was priceless.

There aren't many quiet moments like this. I really enjoyed it.

 Here is me and my dear old dad :)

 We got to feed the ducks at Medi-Park in Amarillo. Once again, wonderful weather.

 My Gang-Gang and Anna (my Dad's side) drove up to Amarillo to see us,

and we ate lunch with them.

 Decorating Easter eggs was nice to do with extended family.

Last year, we did it alone. This year, we had my parents there, and it was a lot of fun for everyone.

 Here we are, riding in the backseat, to Easter Sunday morning at my parents' church in Canyon.

The girls were in the backseat, and the boys and their long legs were in the front seat.

 Here are the sweet little cousins--Henry and Madilyn--taking their first picture together.

 We also got to spend some time with my mom's side of the family, hunting Easter eggs. My dad and Cameron grilled BBQ chicken. My Poppy brought over strawberry icecream, and my Aunt Didi brought The Hokey Pokey on CD. haha It was a nice day, and we were all ready for naptime.

Here is a picture of the "hat rack" at my parents' church.

 In Pennsylvania, we have coat racks. In Texas, hat racks.

 While we were in Amarillo, a cute little Maltese showed up at my parent's door without a tag. We nicknamed her Molly. We walked up and down the streets looking for her owner. No one knew where she came from. So, we brought her in. She's much too cute to let her get hit by a car. So, as she was in the house, she instantly loved my dad.

However, about an hour later, her owners came to pick her up.

 Her REAL name was Millie. (I think my parents need a puppy!) 

And, the night before we left, my brother Tyson, came back over to see us.

We really enjoyed our time spent with Jenny, Tyson and Henry. They are such a sweet family!

 

 We made it home two days ago, and we've been adjusting to real life again.

It's nice to be back in our home, but we do miss Texas terribly.

However, I think we FINALLY made it to Spring in Erie, so that's something to look forward to.

Only a little over a year, and we'll be moving on to our next adventure--Residency!