Well - just had a minute and thought I'd update for a second -

Not to much going on w/us here - we have been painting and trying to finish the kids rooms before Fall gets here when I get no work out of my husband on saturdays due to college football so it has to be done soon! We finished Haileys and I love it and she tells me everyday she "loves my swinging girl" in her room and also "Daddy did it!" b/c he did and gee just loved every minute of it :) Peytons room is next so more pics to follow - my dad is hand painting to pictures for his room which I'm really excited about.

Other than that my little baby girl is turning 2 next week and i cant beleive it! Her b'day is going to last a week like all of my kids do in this house - Saturday she is having her actual party w/her favorite girls and Mikey - I told Candee today her partys are always going to be her little girls and Mikey :) Were having a bbq party at our fav. water park here in town so I'm excited and for her to open all her presents I love her face opening suprises!
On her actual b'day (the 20th) were going to have a tea party for the little girls in her class at church at my moms, which I am so excited about b/c she absoutely loves that stuff and so do the girls in her class - were going to get out all my moms cute and expensive stuff she shouldtn let them use but will and have cute lunches and make sugar cookies and play dolls - I never thought I'd be so into this stuff but Hailey just loves it and it makes me so happy :)

Not much else is going on in this house - I'm so excited for Fall - Im always super excxited at the start of every season but this Fall we are very excited b/c my first neice will be born! Cameron was over last night and Hailey gave him her shoes and said " I give my shoes to baby Allie" Hailey is going to have no jelousy issues w/Allie we are going to have to pry her off of her! :)

So I talked enough about Hailey - Peyton is doing great too - getting big he is now offically 3 1/2 I always know since my kids are exactly 18 mts. apart - I have to actually start calling about getting him on the preschools wait list for next year which is going to kill me but I know he will love it, he absoutely loves being w/kids and running, running and running - did I mention running? He so did not get that gene from me but that kid loves to run - hes blessed to have a die hard workout Papa to run with!

Well hope you all have a great week - I'll be sure and post pics of her party after the weekend :)

Well just thought I would update a little -

Things here are good we have defintely been living the summer life complete with trips to the water park, and pool that make up most of our days which is very nice - we are totally spoiled here in folsom and I am thankful everyday for it!

Peyton is officially through the potty training which is so nice - he has done just an awesome job and i'm so proud of him -
Hailey is in limbo land - we have good days and bad days but shes always in panties (except church pee on the pew is just no fun!) I try to cut her some slack since she is not even 2 yet...

Speaking of she will be on August 20th - how that has been 2 years is beyond me and i try not to think about it but we love her more than anything and having a girl has been more amazing than I ever thought it would be.

We dont have any summer trips planned but we did get our tickets for thanksgiving booked to N'ville - I REALLY want to try to get to see some friends this time since every other trip has not worked out and we wont be out for christmas this year so I hope we do get too.

Other than not much going on hope everyone is having a great summer!!

I wanted to post this article b/c I know Matt would never do that himself, b/c they are way to humble, but Matt wrote it for our Sunday bulletin and I thought it was such a great article I asked for a copy of it to post.

I just have to say how seriously amazing Matt & Candee and all of the Dickeys have been through lossing Blake. I know I'm kinda biased b/c they are our some of our best friends but their attitudes have impressed so many people and been such examples to so many. Not only their spiritual perspective but the laughter they have had (wow I have some seriously funny stories!) through many difficult days. Please keep them in your prayers and ask God to continue to bless their family...with Triplets right Candee?? :)
We love you all!

Dealing with Grief through Faith
By: Matt Dickey

The following was written shortly after our son Blake passed away from a terminal illness called Trisomy 18. Blake was just over 3 months old (92 days) when he passed from this life.

As Christians we understand the concept of not fearing death, because we have been saved through faith and baptism. I can tell you from recent experience that when you lose a child that concept of not fearing death becomes crystal clear. This does not mean you have to lose a child to understand God’s sacrifice and love for us, and I am not saying those who have lost a child understand this concept any better than those who haven’t, however I do believe that when you lose a child, you understand the raw emotion on how God may have felt when he sacrificed his only son.

Such expressions of emotion touch the heart. All who have suffered the loss of a loved one or endured a similar experience understand the feeling of emptiness and heartache. Grief is not inevitable, but it is common to us all. Grief at the loss of a child is one of the most difficult of human problems. However, whether our problems are great or small, there is an answer. There is comfort for every heart that is filled with sorrow. To every grieving soul come the words of truth from the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Mt. 5:4). Notice that he did not say, “They will not mourn.” He said, “They will be comforted.” Those who mourn are blessed, because there is comfort that takes away their sorrow and leaves them on higher ground where the vision is clearer and the view is wider.
FOLSOM POINT CHURCH OF CHRIST􀀁 2
Is it not significant that the verse telling of Jesus’ grief is one of the shortest ones in the
Bible? “Jesus wept” (Jn.11:35). Sorrow touched Jesus, but sorrow's stay was short.

Look at the word mourning. When the letter u is removed, the word becomes morning, the beginning of a new day! Jesus saw the morning and came through the night to a great new morning. You and I can do the same no matter how irreparable our loss may seem to be. We can leave it behind and go forward, even though from the depth of our grief we may momentarily say with the writer of Lamentations, “Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.”

We may ask ourselves, “How can I go on?” Can I overcome my grief? Can I see through the darkness of night, and into the morning light?

My answer is yes, I know that Blake could never be taken from me, could never be lost to me. I know that God will lead me through grief to a greater spiritual understanding, and in my greater understanding, Blake is nearer to me than ever.

Most of us can probably look at our circle of our friends and find examples of varying reactions to the loss of a loved one. Where some in their grief permit the darkness to close down on them, others use faith to sweep it away.

Faith will ease the deepest grief. Faith is the answer to the question we throw out in the
poignancy of our grief. Faith overcomes, and Faith is victory. Faith tells us the truth that all is well with our child and all is well with us. Faith tells us that the Spirit is immortal, that love surpasses death and transcends time.

The loved one who has passed from this earth is still alive, gloriously alive. Some of the best advice we received during Blake’s struggles was this, Do not shut yourself in and others out with a wall of grief. Focus on your prayers to God and focus on your faith. Think of your loved one wrapped in the arms of Jesus. Remind yourself of this by saying, “I know this child is in God's loving care.”

The loss of a loved one seems to cause you to think about your own life and really provides you with profound perspective on what is important, and what is not. I am thankful this perspective has not quickly been forgotten. I now realize to not be too concerned with what the future will be. I believe with all my heart that life is a great experience, a part revealed and a part unrevealed, and I know that all is to be revealed in God's time.

Since Blake’s passing from this life I sometimes have difficult teary-eyed moments, but my focus seems to quickly shift to thoughts about Heaven each and every time, the tears fade and a smile breaks through! I believe this is Faith easing my pain little by little! I then often think about how glorious heaven must be and that smile quickly becomes a big grin! As a father I can think of nothing greater than to know that your child is in Heaven, safe in the arms of Jesus, and that makes me smile!

Well just thought I would catch up pleo...

So Disneyland was AWESOME! we had such a great time and it was so nice having my brother and sis-in-law there to help w/the kids, how people go w/out help is beyond me b/c we've been so spoiled each time to have people take turns watching kids and going on rides so we can...it was a great time! Our kids did beyond wonderful on the 7 hr car ride to LA - although we did find out our little miss Hailey has her mommy's stomach and got super car sick in the back but after moving her up it was smooth sailing - we packed lots of videos and thanks to G'ma Honey we had plenty of snacks to keep them happy.

In other news, as I promised I started potty training when we got home (and boy was I thankful we waited till AFTER disneyland!) I cant complain b/c the kids have been great - we started this past Monday - Peyton took to it immediately he has yet to have even one "pee" accident even on outings and has always come and told us "mommy potty" and goes, even to stop playing and tell me (which was my biggest concern) We are still working on dirty but that will come I know. Hailey has had a couple pee accidents but has been more succesful in #2 then her brother, I'm being a little more patient w/her since she is only 20 mts right now...(ok when did our lives revolve around when our kids went #1 or #2??)

Peyton & Hailey are getting so big so fast - Hailey is talking so much and is really starting to "boss" her brother around and its cracking us up....our fav. was the other day he was pestering her and she said "Stop it Peyton I love you!" I so wish I had it on video b/c it was to cute. Peyton is really looking and acting like a big boy now ...so sad they grow up to fast!

Well I better get going hope you all have a great memorial day weekend!

Well just thought I would update a little since I hadnt for a while - first off the service for Blake was so wonderful everyone did such a wondeful job esp. my husband who led the sweetest prayer and Matt who I couldnt believe was even standing let alone talking. It was such a great service and they continue to amaze me everyday...I could tell some pretty funny stories :)

Not much is going on here, except DISNEYLAND IN A WEEK! I am beyond excited, I was never a disneyland person, partially b/c we never went as kids and partially thats just my personallity...but since we have had the kids I am just in love w/it b/c they love it so much. Hailey is going to flip even though she went 6 months ago so much has changed in her ...she LOVES princesses and calls everyone she sees "Belle" or "Snow White" and has a heart attack if we see some of them in the store and I dont stop to let her hug it...so needless to say Disneyland will be up her alley.

After Disneyland its mommys fun time w/potty training - I'm doing both of them at the same time...I may be insane but Peyton is desperately needing it due to his age and Hailey could have been trained a year ago..she has told me when she goes since she was a year old so there just getting slammed together...wish me luck!

Well thats about all for right now - I"m sure I'll post pics on FB soon ..hope you all are doing well and continue to keep Matt & Candee in your prayers.