Saying Goodbye to 2017!

So another year has gone by, and 2017 was a pretty good year for us! We actually went a whole year without going to the hospital! From new jobs, to several trips, and then our family expecting a new baby!  I would say that 2017 was one for the books!

I like to look back at the year to help me remember the good, and I think it helps give me perspective. So month by month, here is what happened to the Taber Family:

January

Well the biggest thing from January was I started a new job with KMEA. They are based out of San Diego, but they have a joint venture with Amec Foster Wheeler (now Wood). So I work out of the Cincinnati Amec Foster Wheeler office. It was a big change from what I was used to at CH2M. I had my first business trip at the end of the month to New Orleans! I really loved visiting New Orleans, and I ate some very good food there! I am a contractor for the Navy, so it's been fun getting to visit many naval bases. And Todd and Caleb were able to spend time together without Mommy around. Todd's schedule changed to days, so it was possible then for Mommy to travel! And this allowed for the two of them to really bond without Mommy around.


February

I continued to travel for work to Corpus Christi, Texas, which is a pretty large naval base.

We also welcomed our friends Damin and Vanessa's new baby boy, Victor Allen Cappel! Victor is such a special little boy! We also said goodbye to our dear friend, Richard Cronk. He went to be with Jesus in February, and it was incredibly sad as he was well loved by so many! He and his wife, Carol were the marriage mentors of our church, and the two of them were really instrumental in helping our marriage through some very difficult times! I do miss Richard, but I know he is enjoying heaven and being with his Savior!




March
 

March was a pretty good month for us. I had another trip to Texas, only it was by myself. Kingsville, Texas has some incredible Mexican food too!

Caleb and Mommy went to Virginia to spend time with my sister, Jen! It was a fun weekend just the three of us! Jen had moved to the mountains of Virginia (Blacksburg), and so we got to see her new place and new city! Caleb loved seeing the mountains, and we visited a children's museum. This is one of my favorite photos of the two of them! Aunt Jen is really the best aunt ever. I mean how many people will go into a kid's playhouse like this! She is a kid just like Caleb! 😉




April

In April, we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior, and Caleb enjoyed more Easter egg hunts! It was also a lot warmer to enjoy visits at the park, etc.

I visited KMEA's offices in San Diego, and enjoyed some of the sights! It was nice to finally meet the people I talked to on the phone, especially my supervisor and the president of KMEA.



May

May is always a special month. We celebrated Mother's Day, and then of course this sweet boy's 3rd birthday!! He had such a great birthday, and had his first birthday with a friend! His best friend Jonah and his parents, along with Jane our sitter. It was a super fun Monster Truck birthday party! Caleb also had his crib turned into a big boy bed! Quite a special milestone!

I had my last trip for work for the year to Meridian, Mississipi! And then we also enjoyed fun times outside, and especially at Riverscape in downtown Dayton.




June

June was the first month since January that I didn't have to travel for work, so it was nice to spend time at home! We visited several different parks and enjoyed a lot of outside time, filled with bubbles and popsicles. We celebrated Father's Day, and Caleb actually picked out everything he wanted to give his Daddy! And then the weekend before Independence Day, we went to our friends' annual Independence Day Cookout! It was a good month of fun!





July

In July, we took time to remember our first baby Gabriel, as it had been 5 years since he went to be with Jesus! We celebrated Independence Day with family as well. And then in mid-July, Caleb met his Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa for the first time. It had been a long time since we had seen them, so it was a special time. Todd and I had a special weekend together just the two of us, and little did we know what surprise was coming (our baby girl)! 💓





August

August was a busy month! It was a hard month for many in Florida and Texas with massive hurricanes. But I really appreciated watching the love of so many around the country donate and help the many victims of those hurricanes. Those were moments that made me proud to be an American. Americans care about one another and will stop at nothing to help others! It was also the month of the solar eclipse. I thought it was pretty cool, even if we didn't get the full 100% eclipse (we got 91-92%). I look forward to a few more years when Dayton will be in the path!  Caleb started a chore chart for things he can do to help around the house (picking up toys, helping put his clothes in laundry, etc). A great way to teach him responsibility! Todd and I also found out that we were expecting our baby girl! One week I was able to eat normal, and then the  next, I had crazy morning sickness! We look forward to her arrival come April 2018!


September

We had a lot of fun in September! Labor Day weekend was spent with my family in Frankenmuth, Michigan. September is a busy month for birthdays, so Frankenmuth was a perfect excuse for fun for myself, my Mom and Wes! We also told my parents and sister and brother-in-love that we were having a baby! Frankenmuth was a lot of fun, and Caleb got to experience Bronner's Christmas store (the largest Christmas store anywhere)! He LOVED it! We also announced via Facebook and to other friends and family that we were expecting! My morning sickness really started to get intense this month as well! We also started homeschool pre-school with Caleb!

October

 

October was also quite busy! We were able to enjoy lovely fall leaves this month and enjoy some cooler temperatures. We heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time, which was so fun! Always makes me smile when I hear my babies' heartbeats! 

We celebrated the baptism of this little guy - Victor Allen Cappel! I also became his godmother this month. It is truly an honor to be this special boy's godmother! I am totally smitten by this little guy! 

And then we of course had some trick-or-treat fun for Halloween! Caleb dressed up as Thomas the Train this year! 

November

This month always starts out great - celebrating our marriage! This year, Todd and I celebrated 9 years! Can't even believe it has been that long already! We celebrated by going to South Carolina, and we visited Myrtle Beach and Charleston. It was truly another honeymoon for us, and a vacation full of special memories! 

We also celebrated Todd's birthday this month, and he got his annual birthday carrot cake! Caleb had to help! 

For Thanksgiving, we went down to Blacksburg, VA, where Jen and Wes hosted us! It was a very special time together as a family! Caleb always loves seeing his aunt and uncle and of course Grandma and G-Pa! 

And right after Thanksgiving, we found out for sure that our baby is a girl! So we can't wait to meet Miss Alexandria Grace in April! 

December

And now December...a month full of Christmas fun! We enjoyed seeing lots of Christmas lights and listening to Christmas music. We also enjoyed decorating for Christmas, and Caleb was especially helpful this year! He did a great job! I was sick quite a bit in November and December, but thankfully, there was plenty of good memories in the mix. Pregnancy and illness have taken a lot out of me, but I am thankful for the special memories we made anyway. Caleb had a fantastic Christmas, and he made it soooo fun this year with his excitement! He would count down the days literally every day! And then on Christmas morning, he woke us up and said "Mommy/Daddy - do you know what today is? It's Christmas!!!" His happiness was truly contagious! And we surprised this big boy with a train set and several Thomas trains to go with it! He was SOOOO HAPPY! We were also able to celebrate Christmas with my parents on Christmas Day and then later in the week with my sister and Wes! So it felt like Christmas all week long! 

I have truly enjoyed going through the many memories this year has given us. God has truly blessed us with this little one we are excited to meet in April, and many fun memories along the way! So stay tuned for more fun updates! 

I pray for God to bless all of you with a memorable and special 2018! 

Much Love,

Todd, Sarah, Caleb, and Baby Alexandria

Why the name Alexandria Grace

So we are definitely having us a girl! ❤ And her name is Alexandria Grace Taber! I wanted to explain a little as to the reason we are naming her this. We both had strong inclinations for names. I always knew I wanted a boy named Caleb, and Todd always knew he wanted a girl named Alexandria. So it worked out perfectly that we both got to name one of our children the names we had planned.

Todd had always loved the name Alexandria, and so when I looked up the meaning, I fell in love with it as well. Alexandria means "defender of mankind." And it has always been important to us to name them strong names and names that mean something great. Back in biblical times, when a person was named something, that name really did define a lot about that person. So I love the fact that our girl is being named something so strong. I love the idea that she will be used by God in some way to defend others. I am not sure what that looks like, but God does. I believe with God's help, she will do amazing things in this life to impact others for the better!

And since Alexandria is such a long name, we both agreed upon a shorter middle name. And when I started thinking about middle names, I couldn't pass up on Grace. This baby girl is truly an example of God's grace to us. Our family has been through so much, and this baby was conceived despite the odds because of various struggles (infertility, PCOS, time, etc). But God said she was going to be at this time and place for a reason. She has a divine purpose in this world that we are excited to see how it all unfolds for her! She is definitely an example of grace to us as a couple and our family. And we are so thankful for her!

So there you go! We have a boy already that adores his baby sister! And now we are expecting this little girl in April! Thank you for your support and prayers over this little girl! We do appreciate them!

I leave you with our latest ultrasound (19 weeks/5 days), and she refused to show us her profile (and much like her brother did, she also refused to allow us to see some of her internal organs), but here she is looking right at us and ready for a picture! And you can see her hand giving a little wave! ❤

The Beginning of Someone Very Special

So I have shared that we are expecting...AGAIN! 😊 It feels a little more real now. Let's just say, when you have experienced heartache and disappointment in the past, until you see the heartbeat on the ultrasound,  it's hard to be sure what to feel.

I started feeling sick the week of August 21st. I knew I was late, but I was just thinking that my PCOS symptoms had returned. Didn't occur to me at first during the week of August 14th that I might be pregnant. Nah. And then nausea came on. I mean, it came with full force! I had eaten some barbeque the week before at a training course I was taking. And it tasted so good, that I told Todd I would like to have barbeque again the following week. Apparently that was a  mistake! Because when we had barbeque the following week, suddenly it was the most disgusting thing I ever tasted (by the way - the barbeque was from the same place both times). So anyways...that tipped me off. Heartburn, nausea, and just plain feeling like crap. I suppose it could have been the flu, but having been through pregnancy twice before, I knew what I was feeling. My husband told me it would be best to hold on taking a test until the end of the month so as to avoid possible disappointment. I held off an additional work week, but I couldn't wait much longer.

So on August 25th, our Shipt grocery delivery came while I was working from home, and I was expecting the pregnancy test! Waiting all morning! They delivered all of our groceries, and instead of putting things away, no, no. I decided to immediately take the test. And you know how sometimes when you take a test, it seems like it takes forever for the test to "show something." Not this time! This time, it came immediately! Within the first 30 seconds of the test, there were two pink lines!

There was some panic in me. After all, as a working mom, I already feel like I am stretched to my max as it is. When I drive to Cincinnati for work, that is 3 hours out of my day of just plain driving. I like working at home more so that I can make better use of my time. But it's not always feasible, nor should I always work at home. But I always worry that I am not doing enough for Caleb as it is, and then mom guilt comes in, and I wonder how the heck am I going to be a good mom for 2 kids?! Having one kiddo has been the joy of my life, and I still work and help in providing for our family. But add one more, and I am like "EEEK...can I do that?!" It's just my honest feelings.

Todd has known and believed that we were having another baby since September 2014. I won't go into all of the personal details of that, but Todd believes God told him we are having another baby, and the baby will be a girl. And without giving into all the details, Todd was pretty close on his estimated guess of when it would happen (within 2 months). Todd has watched the promise given to him unfold just as he was told. You'd think being a Christian woman and wife that believes her husband, that it wouldn't have come as a shock to me. Well that would be a lie. I was still shocked. You know the story of Sarah in the Bible? Remember how she didn't believe she would ever have a child, even though God told her it would happen. And then I think about my reaction and how I was literally taken aback (even though I shouldn't have), and was kinda freaking out for a while. I am ashamed that I wasn't full of faith and expectation and hope. I guess me and my namesake don't fall too far from the same tree! 😉

Heck - I have witnessed God's power and amazing ability to make dreams come true with Caleb. I mean, He gave us an incredible little boy after so much pain, disappointment and loss, that I should have had more faith in His promises. I feel quite hypocritical to say the least. I guess you could say this has been a time where I have been humbled. I mean, really humbled.

And many of you will think we are nuts for calling the baby a "her" already. But having witnessed God's movement in our lives and just how it's all unfolding, mark our words....when we find out for sure the sex, the baby is a girl! Understand, that even if we were somehow wrong about the baby being a girl, it wouldn't change our love for this little one. But don't be surprised - we are having a girl!

And we told Caleb at a restaurant that night. We explained that Mommy had a baby her her belly and that someday soon, the baby will come out and he will help play with her, and love her as a big brother. He wears that badge proudly already! He tells everyone who will listen that he is a "big brudda!" And he will rub my belly and kiss it. One time, he came up to my belly and said "Hi buddy!" It was so cute. And even more recently, he was telling me that nobody messes with his baby! (Melt my heart - he believes this baby is his!) I do believe Caleb is ready for his role!

And the baby - well she is doing well. We found out on Monday, September 11th, that she is 8 weeks, 5 days, and she is due around April 18th. Her heartbeat was measured around 176 bpm, and we even saw her wiggle a little in there. And I love that we can already make out a head, little arms, legs, and a bottom. I think it was really important for me to see her moving and see the heartbeat so I could really believe this was happening.

And then when I realized that this little blessing was conceived in the month of July, I can't help but be amazed of how He can take a terrible month like July for our family (when we lost our Gabriel), and turn it around to be a blessing. God really does build beauty from ashes. This baby isn't a replacement and neither is Caleb. But, I truly believe God can redeem the pain of the past!

Or when I think of how this time last year, I was two weeks away from being let go from my job of almost 12 years, and how God provided another job within 3 months time. God provided for us financially during that hiatus, and provided the much needed health we needed in there for 1 1/2 months without insurance. And even though I am still feeling out this new job, so far, I think it is going well. And I have a job to provide for all 4 of us now! God's timing is perfect!

This little sweetheart is a blessing already. Her existence is evidence of God's promises being fulfilled, and that you can trust Him to keep those promises. Is it easy to always trust - no way! I am evidence that I don't have it all together and that I don't always trust Him as I should. But, I guess I am taking from all of this that God's plans will unfold, in His timing, His way, and all to glorify Him!

The morning sickness (or it should be called "all day sickness") has been quite brutal this time around. I remember when I was having Caleb, and I very rarely felt very sick. Caleb was a breeze compared to this pregnancy. But, I know it means that she is doing well. So if that's the case, I guess bring on the yucky feelings! (please be gentle though 😉) I have an early screening for various things at the end of this month, but one of the things is they confirm the sex. So likely by October, we should know for sure that the baby is a girl! 💓

So there's the story! I look forward to feeling better hopefully soon, and I appreciate all of the advice to help me with my nausea! Peppermint so far is really helping! Thank you all for your congratulations, for your friendship, and for your love, and here's to a happy and healthy pregnancy!

Much Love,

Sarah, Todd, Caleb, and Baby Girl Taber

To my Caleb on His Third Birthday

To my dearest Caleb,

You are three! And I don't know how we got to this year so fast! I remember your birth like it was literally yesterday, and yet the past 3 years have flown. You don't remember this moment, but I do! It will always be in my heart and mind:

You are a very curious, funny, sweet, little boy! I don't know anyone like you anywhere! You love cities, tall buildings, towers, trucks, cars, parks, swings, slides, candy, long walks and hikes, nature, and so much more! This past year was so fun as we watched you really turn a corner from baby talk to full on sentences and conversations. It's very rare that we don't know what you are saying. You still struggle with your "L's," but that's pretty  normal. So instead of saying Love, you say "Wuv." It's so darling - I love it! You are amazed by anything that is tall, When we visited downtown Dayton's Riverscape last summer quite frequently, you fell in love with cities! Your face brightens up and you just love everything about it. The tall buildings, the bridges, the water, the towers, etc. And we thought that would be a phase, but you haven't gotten over it. You still want to see the city every day, even though we don't. But at least once a week, when I pick you up from Jane's, we go and drive into the city so you can see all the things you love. You especially love the Carillon Bell Tower and driving past the Dayton Flyers Arena. You now yell "Go Flyers" when we drive by! That's my boy! 😉

You are so smart and learning every single day. You even know really, really basic math! When you see things on our walks, like flags or signs, we can be talking about how there is another flag or sign, and if we ask how many that is now, you can tell us. And while you can't read yet, you love to tell us what is going on with each page of the book. You tell us the story that you know of, and it's pretty cool to watch you do that! You know how to spell your name. You know your whole name, including your middle name and last name. You have learned concepts of time pretty well this year because of Mommy's  new job requiring me to travel. So we have started talking more and more about days of the week, and how many days left til I come home, etc. You listen to us most of the time pretty well, with occasional bargaining (when you tell me "two minutes"). You still have moments where you throw tantrums and act out, but you have gotten better even with that. You know that time-outs are no fun, and while you still have them, even the time-outs are less painful because you want it to end as soon as possible.

You are such a sweetheart, and such a compassionate little guy. If someone says "Ow!," you usually ask if they are okay. You love to kiss boo-boos. You love to give big hugs if someone is crying or upset. You are also very stubborn and still demand that you do things for yourself. Very rarely do you want our help because you are a big boy. And when you accomplish something, you are soo proud and so smiley! And then you have to do it over and over again! You have a smile and a laugh that just radiates out to everyone around you! It's so infectious! I can't help but smile when I am around you!

You love to sing and dance, and you are soo expressive! It's so fun watching you learn and enjoy life! You are highly opinionated about so many things, and if you don't agree with something, you will tell us. You are growing up so fast with all the things you now do. I remember when the only word you really said was "uh-oh!" And now, we can carry on conversations with you as you tell us about a movie story line, or you tell us about your day, what you want to eat in great detail, or how you want to go see the city and tell us all about it. And during your birthday, you had your first friend come celebrate with you! We truly enjoyed meeting Jonah and his Daddy and Mommy. It was so fun watching you interact and have fun with Jonah. Since Mommy goes to work, I don't get to see you interact with other kids very often, so when I do, it's just amazing to watch you be this little independent person doing fun things with your friend. As you grow up, I am sure you will have many more days where you have friends come over and you go over to their house. Friendships are so important in life!

And another big milestone - on your last night as a 2 year old, we converted your bed to a "big-boy" bed with no railings. And you did really well! You slept through the night pretty well, and this morning around 6:45 AM, I heard the door open, and you peaked your head out. You saw me and it was time to be up! I think it must have felt so cool that you were able to decide when to get up! Such a fun milestone!

You are so incredibly special to us and we couldn't be prouder! I don't know that you could ever know how much joy you bring to our lives. In this next year of your life, just know that your Mommy and Daddy are your biggest advocates and will always cheer you on as you learn, grow, and make friends! We are so proud of you and love you more than our very own lives!

Happy Birthday, my sweet one! Love you whole bunches!

Love, Mommy

New Years Thoughts - Happy 2017!!!!

Hi Friends,


So with 2016, came many changes (good, bad, and completely unexpected).

The past year has been pretty amazing, and I wanted to talk about some of the past year, and also what we are looking forward to in 2017!

• January - With this month, came an excitement of no longer having to go to the hospital for surgeries. Todd was healed, and we were getting over that awful experience! We had family time with my sister and her husband (delayed Christmas fun with them), and it was special as always. Then the bad - I was in a car accident and the insurance company didn't believe it was worth the cost. So we had to get rid of it and move on. We found Todd a car (Ford Taurus) that was quite old (but to this day is in good condition - so far). Plus, we only paid $600 out of pocket for the thing! YES! Thank you God!
• February - We had our Ohio primary for the election. If I had known then what I know now about the election, I don't think I'd believe it! But, I was able to vote for someone I wanted (he didn't win Ohio). We also celebrated Valentines Day and we made homemade pasta with a pasta maker my parents had gotten us from Italy!! YUMMO! That was a fun experience, and seriously...the best pasta!
• March - It was nice and warm, and spring came much earlier than in previous years. We celebrated Easter and my Dad's birthday. Caleb had his first egg hunts (one at church, one with his grandparents, and one at home with us). It was a fun month and pretty low key.

Always loves the swings!

• April - Caleb is growing and learning how to count and knows his ABCs very well. We also enjoyed springtime and a wonderful vacation in Virginia Beach with my sister and brother, Wes! It was soo nice and Caleb's first roadtrip and first trip to see the ocean!! He had a ball! As we all did!

Our family photo in Virginia Beach!

• May - May was overall a very nice time. Caleb gave up the binky on his own (YAY!). We enjoyed more park days! Unfortunately, he got very sick close to his birthday, and we were in the hospital (twice) because he ended up getting some awful virus that caused his breathing to be very bad, and then the second time, we were in the hospital due to pneumonia. The last visit to the hospital extended over his birthday, so his 2nd birthday plans were postponed for Memorial Day weekend. But, the hospital treated Caleb like a king, and gave him an Elmo balloon and toys. And thankfully, we were discharged on his birthday. So he got to go home and eat his birthday cake! It was a rough month for sure, but thankfully, we had a good ending to the month.

Our birthday boy!

• June - June was mostly uneventful. We enjoyed a lot of time outside and the summer warmth! Caleb had a ball and actually liked walking in the grass! He made a friend with a neighbor girl, and they loved playing with bubbles!

Caleb finally tackled the tunnel and slides at the playground! And he loved them!

• July - We celebrated Indpendence Day with friends in Columbus, and I made my first ever pineapple upside down cake (I did good!). And then a lot of fun memories were made at the park or at Riverscape in downtown Dayton with Caleb. He found his love for cities and tall buildings when we would go there. He became so obsessed with the cities, that I have NEVER known anyone to be as excited to see a city as him. In fact, on one of our Friday dates, G-Pa met me and Caleb at Riverscape after he had a meeting and we had icecream and walked along the bridge, etc. It was a nice time!

Caleb had fun with William at the annual Independence Day picnic we have with friends

• August - More fun in the sun with Caleb. He also really started to sing a lot of songs on his own. He loves to sing "Jesus Loves Me" and "This is the Day." I also tried my hand at making banana nut bread. I enjoyed making yummy food this summer! It was a treat for me (and Todd would say for him too). I also broke my crown and had to have a root canal for the first time. That was no fun! When you see smoke coming from your mouth...yeah...not cool!
• September - This month started pretty good. We celebrated Mom's, mine, and Wes' birthday (since we are all September birthdays). It was so nice to spend time with the family, play corn hole competitions, and enjoy watching Caleb playing and laughing. I turned 36, and Todd treated me to a spa day! So heavenly I tell you what! Plus, he took me to our favorite Jeff Ruby restaurant! It was a good birthday weekend! Sadly, the happiness of September ended on the 28th. I was laid off from my job at CH2M. I had been with them for almost 11 1/2 years! It truly was the end of an era! It was nothing I did...they were making cuts, and I was one of them. It was incredibly hard and emotional for me. And as the person that had 2/3 of our income coming from me, I had to find a job fast!
• October - Well, I spent all of my time looking for jobs. In the first week, I sent 14 resumes. I needed a job, man! But thankfully, I was also able to do some work for my parents too. It helped keep my mind sharp and also busy (instead of sulking and worrying). We also enjoyed the fall weather and went to parks and walked through the leaves. Caleb also loved going to Hobby Lobby (his favorite store - seriously, I mean it). He loved going there to see pumpkins, leaves, trees, and flowers. We also went there a lot to get craft supplies so he could paint, and do many different fun crafts. Caleb got to go trick-or-treating three times!! We went to the Renaissance Fair for a Halloween weekend, did trick-or-treating as a family in a nearby town so Todd could be there, and then Caleb and I went around our neighborhood on Halloween! He made out like a bandit with candy! But this momma made sure he only had 1-2 pieces of candy a day. And it lasted him until mid-December! Not too bad! I also had a phone interview with KMEA (the company I am currently set to start on January 9th). It seemed to go well then, and I was right.
  
• Our Curious George (or George Monkey like Caleb calls him)
  
  
  
• Fall outing with my cutie pie!

• November - Todd and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary in Red River Gorge (Kentucky) in a beautiful cabin. It was so peaceful and a perfect getaway for us. And thankfully, we had already paid for this trip before I lost my job, so it didn't cost us hardly a thing! I will briefly mention we also had an epic election! We are now getting ready for Trump as president in this new year. What?!! I really didn't see this happening. I may not have voted for the guy, but I do hope he surprises me in a good way and ends up better than I expect. I have many doubts about that, but I still hope it is better than I expect (end of the political discussion). We also celebrated Todd's birthday and Thanksgiving! Jen and Wes were with us for Thanksgiving, and that was super special! Caleb got to help us pick out a Christmas tree for the first time too! He really loved getting a Christmas tree and seeing all the lights and decorations! After Thanksgiving, I had an in-person interview in Cincinnati with a company that has a joint venture with KMEA, and the company I will be getting most of my work from).

Admiring the tree

• December -  this month was full of beautiful Christmas fun (looking at lights, making cookies, watching Christmas movies, etc. Caleb and I visited the Carillon tower that looks like a Christmas tree as well! He calls it a tower Christmas tree! We also went to Clifton Mill with Caleb so he could enjoy the lights again this year. HE DID!! He was the loudest kid there during the light show with his Ooohs and Wows! It was sooo cute! I had a third interview in December over Skype with KMEA. This company is based out of California, and I will be going there quite often for work. I waited all month to find out they were offering me the job (found out the week after Christmas). I am going to be an Environmental Project Engineer focused on environmental compliance. The job sounds very exciting, and I am truly looking forward to the fresh start (and the income again).

Christmas morning with Caleb!

So with the upcoming year, not only do I get to start with a new job, Todd will be switching to days! YES! Such incredible timing too. I mean, with my travel for work, Todd will be able to watch Caleb and spend much needed time together. God orchestrated this completely. I am truly thankful for His wisdom and help in all of this. I got discouraged quite often September through December (especially when I was waiting to hear back from KMEA), and thankfully, God always provided the right encouragement when I needed it. He gave me peace, when I shouldn't have had it. He provided hope when I needed it. He also encouraged me to remember who I was and Who I belonged to. He also reminded me time and time again that he didn't just care about me and my job, but my husband and son too.



And another testament to the amazing sitter we have, when I found out I lost my job, this woman was incredibly gracious and told us that she believed God wanted her to NOT take any money from us until I found a job again. I couldn't believe it. We tried to argue with her and tell her we would pay her anyway, but she wouldn't take it. To say we have the best sitter ever is an understatement. She has become family to us, and we are beyond grateful for her! I look forward to being able to pay her again! She is worth every penny we give her!




So as I look back at the highlights of 2016, while there were some definite lows, I see the amazing hand of God in all of it. I see how he provided when I didn't know things were coming or how or when. So really, most of my thanks for this year goes to Him. When life happens and things get bad, Jesus provides so much more hope and peace than anything else.


So here's to a new year...full of new challenges (I'm sure), and full of new and fresh starts, and of course beautiful memories! Happy 2017 to all of you!


Love,


The Taber Family

Focusing on the Good - Caleb is 2 1/2 and Family Updates

So Caleb is officially 2 1/2! I can't believe how fast time is going! I swear he looks more and more grown up! 

He has been learning so much in these past 6 months. His vocabulary has exploded, and very rarely do we not understand what he is saying. He loves to talk, and will talk your ear off! He has an opinion about everything in his world. Ha Ha! He is an avid reader, and he loves to "read" books to us. He doesn't know how to read, just yet, but he tells the stories to us on each page. There are some words that he remembers from our reading to him and knows what they say. He knows that C A L E B is his name! It's not unusual for us to spend part of our evening each day reading 10-20 books. This kiddo loves to learn, and I have been surprised quite often with the things he knows and remembers. His vocabulary has also improved in how he says each word. He's leaving some of the cute baby talk and saying many words correctly (Though, part of me is sad about that because it's so darn cute)! With the reading, he knows all of the ABCs, upper and lowercase (he sometimes mixes up lowercase p and q, but not all the time).

He LOVES to count! Any book that has more than one of anything, he will count! And if I say something is in the microwave, he will count the time. He can sometimes count up to 20 (though a few of those numbers are tough for him), but he has been improving upon them. He knows typical shapes (circle, square, triangle), and he knows shapes like octagon, rhombus, diamond, etc. I have been amazed at his ability to just remember things we have taught him after only telling him once. 

We also have a singer. I have published some videos on Facebook and Instagram of his singing, but seeing him in person is even better. He loves to sing! He will even just hum. His favorite songs are "Jesus Loves Me" (two different versions) and "This Is The Day!" But with Christmastime upon us, I am sure he will love to learn other songs like Jingle Bells, etc. His affinity for music is so fun! He really loves to "make moozik" on his Daddy's keyboard too! 

He can open many doors now, including the refrigerator and our bedroom doors, etc. He loves to open and close doors! He thinks the refrigerator is fun to open, and we are working with him to teach him that it isn't a toy and we can't just leave the door open. Ha Ha! He also loves to help with chores, whether that is partially helping Mommy with the vacuum, helping "carry" the trash out with Daddy, helping to wipe down stuff and clean it, helps with the laundry, etc. He even does the same at Jane's house. She is always telling me what a happy little helper he is.

He understands moods like happy, sad, crying, mad, tired, hurt, etc. Whenever I have bumped my knee or tripped or gotten hurt in some way, he has such a compassionate heart. He will come over and see Mommy's "boo-boo" and kiss it! He knows that Mommy does that for him, and so he wants to do the same for us. It's so sweet! Or if we are sad about something, or he sees a character that is sad, we have taught him that hugs are important to help when someone is sad. So he does the same. He loves to hug. He is such a great hugger! I love that about him! He really gives the best hugs and can improve any mood! He will just say "I love you" without prompting too, or he will come around my backside and put his arms around me and squeeze me tight. So much love from such a sweet boy, and it just makes me melt! 

This summer and fall have been great because we have been able to go outside a lot, and he has a love for trees, leaves, pumpkins, clouds, nature, etc. He loves to watch bugs, and he helped water flowers. He loves to learn about all the different animals there are, and what sounds they make. He loved dressing up for Halloween and getting candy. He still has a decent amount of candy left from his stash. :) I think his favorite part about fall is the leaves and pumpkins. He was obsessed with those when we would visit Hobby Lobby, and then when he would see them outside or at other people's homes, he was so happy!

 Hike with Mommy in the woods! We enjoyed all the fall leaves!

Now, he is soo excited for Christmas. Not sure how he learned about Santa, but he knows what Santa looks like and learned about Christmas trees, etc. We also taught him that Christmas is Jesus' birthday! I have to say, I think because he understands a little more and seems super excited about it, I am looking forward to doing more Christmas traditions with him! I can't wait to see his face when he sees the Christmas lights at Clifton Mill again this year, or when he sees our Christmas tree all decorated. I truly look forward to new memories with him this year, and I'm thankful for this special little boy. He makes life so much better by being with us!

In family news, most know that I lost my job in September with CH2M due to a reduction in force. I was sad....very sad to leave. And it hasn't been easy, but thankfully, God has been providing for us during this time. We have been saving our pennies where possible. I have had a few phone interviews, and I am about to have an in-person interview next week (11/29), so if you would, please say a prayer for me. I actually think this could be a good company to work for, and I know they have contacted my references (my references have told me so). So this sounds promising, but I also don't want to get too excited either in case it falls through. In the end, I know God will provide the right job for me and my family. 

Todd and I also recently celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. Can't believe we have been married 8 years. Seems shorter than that at times, and sometimes longer too ;) But, we went to a cabin in Red River Gorge, Kentucky, and it was awesome. I was thankful we paid for it prior to my job loss, as it wouldn't have been feasible to go away had we not done that. The cabin was amazing, and they called it "Peaceful Palace." It was very peaceful. We had a huge area of caves and caverns in our "backyard." We were told they had waterfalls there, but we haven't had much rain, so we didn't get to see much water falling. But, if we had, then we couldn't have hiked in there and seen the caverns up close. And the fall leaves were soooo gorgeous! Sometimes we would just sit out there and just listen to the birds, and the wind, and then watch leaves falling off trees. It was sooo nice! It was so relaxing and nice to get away just the two of us. When we drove back, we took a detour and went to Mammoth Caves for Todd's birthday present. That was a lot of fun as well! We did a lot of hiking and relaxing! Perfect weekend if you ask us! :)

 

 Our view right outside of our cabin

 In our "backyard" - we saw a lot of caverns and caves. Looking up, then you see beautiful fall foliage

Looking up inside Mammoth Cave. So cool! 

Stalactites inside Mammoth Cave! Loves these!

As we come upon Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to say I am thankful for my family. My husband who has been very supportive and encouraging of me during this hard time and for helping so much with our home and with Caleb. My son, Caleb, who makes each day ten times better by giving me his smile and hugs, or making us laugh! For my parents who are truly the best parents in the world and for their love, support, and prayers. And for being incredible grandparents to Caleb! And my sister, Jen and brother in love, Wes! They hosted us earlier this year at their place, and it was such a wonderful time in Virginia Beach! And we are also thankful for their love, prayers, and support! And for the friends who have stood by us through thick and thin, and have been more like family to us! We love you and are so thankful for you! And even for this job loss. I believe in the long run, this change is best for us. I can't go into the reasons why, but I think there is a good reason behind it. I miss my friends there at CH2M, but we have kept in touch, and I am thankful for their continued friendship! I am thankful for God's love and mercy. I am thankful that God is here, even in the midst of the unknown. I am thankful that I can trust my unknown future to a known God. I don't have answers, and I still have times where I am nervous and scared, but when I keep my eyes focused on God, I feel His peace. God will provide. I know it.

I am thankful for this verse, which is a reminder to trust Him. 

"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 1:6

I pray you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and/or family! I pray that you take time to remember what you have and the good that has happened in your life. I think it is important to not to lose sight of the good! When I focus on the good, I tend to forget or at least temporarily forget the bad. It's good for the soul to keep focused on the good! I know it is for me! 

Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings to all of you!

Much Love,

The Taber Family

A night like this....8 years ago!

It was a night like this, where others were out trick-or-treating or going to Halloween parties
But, we all dressed up as characters for our wedding rehearsal
It was filled with laughter, fun, excitement, nerves, and all with our friends and family
It was beyond special as we got ready for the start of the rest of our lives

With all the excitement, I didn't feel anxious or nervous.
We were with friends and family and enjoying this special celebration
We would always look back on the night before our wedding
As one heck of a rehearsal and full of fun! Never have I enjoyed a rehearsal so much!

We opened some gifts that night, ate some food, laughed
And then one final hug and kiss goodnight as two single lovebirds
I remembered thinking many times that night
Wow, this is the last night where I have to say goodbye at the end of the night

I will admit, that really excited me. We dated with you in Columbus and me in Dayton
And only on one weekend day would we see each other.
We could drive I-70 in our sleep with as much time as we drove it
We knew that road backwards and forwards

I was ecstatic about spending the rest of my life with my best friend
The one I loved since I was sixteen
The one who always made my heart beat 90 miles an hour
The one who knew me when I was a teen and now as a young woman

You always knew how to make me laugh
And you always knew how to make me smile or what would make me want to kiss you
You always put me before yourself
And loved me way more than I sometimes deserved

You were the one I prayed for as a young teen wondering if I would ever meet a guy
That loved me like God wanted for me
Or the one I prayed for when I asked for a guy that thought I was pretty
You wrote me several love poems expressing how much you thought I was the most beautiful

You were the one that I prayed for when I asked for a guy that would be my best friend
And that I would always love
And look at us now - 8 years later after saying I Do
And You are STILL the one!

I didn't have a clue what 8 years would bring to our marriage
And neither did you
But we have had some amazing times, both good and bad
We have had so many joys and so many highs

And when I think about the lows, I am sad that we had to go through those lows
But then I am reminded that I had you the whole time as we fought those battles together
I had my best friend and a cute guy that thought I was pretty
I had a guy that put me before himself and loved me as God wanted for me

And when I think about the highs, I start to cry at the beautiful memories
And I remember the laughs, the passion, the smiles, the hugs and the many kisses
I had a guy that was my best friend and could make me laugh like no other
A guy that put me before himself and loved me as God wanted for me

So tonight as I look back, I think about us!
The beautiful, the crazy, the amazing, the miraculous
The wonderful that is us!
The 8 years of a wonderful us!

Happy 8 Years to the Prince that God gave me!
I love you now and always!