Yeah, It's Been A While and I'm Sorry!!!

So I used to get onto Adria all the time - "You need to blog more" I would say! Well now she is saying that to me. So yeah, it's been a while and I'm sorry. But anyways - here I am blogging...YAY!!!!!

I had to take Colby and Eli to the doctor yesterday. Colby has double ear infections and the doctor put him on antibiotics. Eli is a little congested but hopefully it will go away. He weighed 8.5 pounds today so he has gained over two pounds in three weeks.

We are so excited about the Christmas season....all of the lights, parties, family time and everything that is a part of this wonderful time of year. Colby is so excited about Santa Clause this year and of course Eli could care less!

Shad's gone to the deer lease for a few days so the boys and I are just gonna hang out this weekend. The lighted Christmas parade is Saturday night so we are looking forward to that. I am really missing being home with Colby these days. He's growing up so fast and I feel like I am missing so much. Hopefully something will change soon...either he can start coming to work with me more or maybe I can stay home with him more. We'll see - maybe you can add that to your prayer list if you don't mind.

Here are a few pictures that I thought you might enjoy!

Shad and Colby went on a walk through the woods early one morning a few Saturdays ago and came up on the neighbor's cull chicken pile. There were two chickens that were alive and Colby fell in love with them. When they got ready to leave, Shad told him to tell the chickens bye but he wouldn't hear of it. He wasn't leaving without a chicken...actually make that two chickens! So Shad and Colby come in and wake me up and Colby is begging to bring his chickens in the house. I, of course, say no but I really thought they were kidding. I couldn't imagine them bringing chickens to our house - I mean what are WE gonna do with live chickens??? So, I finally got up and went outside to find two, real, live chickens under the carport. They were culls so they were a little crippled, enough so that they got put into Colby's dumptruck and hauled around for a while. Colby had fun with them and all the while I am telling Shad he is gonna get some kind of disease from handling those nasty chickens. Haha! The chickens stayed at our house for a few days laid up with the dogs if you can imagine that! Finally Shad carried them away and Colby hasn't missed them so far.

Eli at 4 weeks and wide awake!

Well, until next time, I hope you stay warm and well in this crazy East Texas weather!

~Casey~

Happy Monday!

Bubble Bath Time For The Silly Big Brother!!!

Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't update on Tuesday. Things are a little busier with two kids. Eli weighed 6lbs 7oz at the doctor on Tuesday. I have really noticed in the last couple of days that he is really growing. He is eating great and sleeping well and overall just being a great baby! Colby is still being a precious big brother too.

Shad took Colby deer hunting this weekend at his Uncle Jimmy's. Colby HAD to take his toy gun to shoot the deer with. So Shad and Colby are sitting in the deer stand and out come some does. Shad shoots one, hits it and it runs off a ways before dying. Then Colby cocks his gun and pretends to shoot one. They found Shad's deer but Colby's version of the story is a little different. He says they found his deer but they couldn't find Daddy's deer. So Colby is so proud that he killed a deer.

Kids are so much fun! We are so blessed that God would trust us with two precious boys!

I am back at work now - ugh! Wouldn't it be nice if money just grew on trees? It's not so bad though. Eli is with me and Colby will be with me sometimes and with Mrs. Martha and Mr. Jack sometimes.

So that's about it! Keep us in your prayers!

Love,
Casey

Home...but on the go!!!

"The Crew"

Paul, Mikah, Eli, Claire, Levi, Braden, Presley, Colby

Absolutely impossible to get a smile out of everyone at the same time!

The precious Big Brother!

Eli on his first day home!!!

Hey everyone! Well we made it home Saturday morning and it's been a busy week. Sorry I am just now updating! I just know you are DYING for more pictures of my boys!!! Haha!

We got home Saturday and had several special visitors, including big cousins, Presley and Braden, and we went to church on Sunday morning for the first time and received a very warm welcome. On Sunday night, my brother Brent, Jennifer and the kiddos came in to meet their new cousin! So we pretty much hung out at Mom's the first part of the week with them. We really enjoyed our time together. Colby had so much fun playing with his cousins! They headed home Wednesday morning and we have tried to take it easy but you know, that just never happens. We've worked a little and played alot and we are just loving life with our family!

Colby has adjusted so well. He absolutely loves Eli and doesn't want anyone to even mention taking him home with them. He wants him with us at all times! (And SO DO I!!!) He just talks to him all the time and wants to lay by him and hold him. He is such a great big brother!

Eli is sleeping very well. He wakes up about every 4-5 hours to eat at night and goes right back to sleep. He is a wonderful baby so far! So that's about it - we are doing great! I take Eli back to his pediatrician on Tuesday and I will let you know how that goes! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!

Love,

Casey

God is Good!

Wow-I didn't get to update the blog last night because we were really BUSY holding a precious baby boy!!!! Lots has happened since Wednesday. Eli was taken off of ICU status last night. He got to come to the room with us for the first time about 8:30 and Colby got to see him and hold him. He was so excited! He just kept rubbing his head and kissing him - so sweet. They brought him in every three hours last night to stay for about 45 minutes and then he had to go back under the light for his jaundice. This morning, they said his jaundice was better so he has been in the room with us pretty much all day long and he has been eating like a pro. Colby just wants to hold him all by himself, all the time. He just talks to him and giggles. He is so happy with his baby brother.

We are scheduled to be discharged in the morning (Saturday). He has to have his hearing screen done in the morning and hopefully we will be headed home soon after that.

If you want to come visit, you are certainly welcome. Just remember that Eli does have premature lungs so that makes him more susceptible to germs. We certainly don't want to end up back in the hospital.

We thank you all again for your prayers and support, visits and phone calls. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. We are excited to get home tomorrow and we can't wait for Eli to meet all of you! Enjoy the pictures!

Love,

Shad, Casey, Colby & Eli

An update on Eli

In the hospital we remain. Eli is improving. He is off of the oxygen and he is breathing faster than he should be but hopefully that will be better tomorrow. They just started feeding him through a tube tonight. He didn't tolerate the first feeding very well but they said that was to be expected. They will feed him again at 12:30 and 3:30 and hopefully those feedings will go better. We are just hanging out. We haven't gotten to hold him but hopefully that will change tomorrow as well.

Thanks so much for all of the calls, visits and prayers. We really appreciate them. I will update again tomorrow.

Love,
Casey

Eli Jack Lout

Eli Jack Lout was born at 2:47 pm today - October 28, 2008. He weighed 6 lbs 11 ounces and he is 19 inches long. He is, of course, so precious! He had a little trouble breathing at first but his bloodwork at 10 pm came back normal - Praise be to God! They are going to watch him very closely tonight and we are trusting that everything will be normal tomorrow.

Colby hasn't really gotten to see Eli yet so we don't have a big brother reaction yet. Hopefully, he will get to see him tomorrow and we will have the video camera handy!

Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us! We really appreciate it! Shad, Colby and I are about to hit the sack for the night and I will update tomorrow with the progress!

Enjoy the pictures

Love,

Casey

P.S. Shad, Mom & Aunt Sandra earned an extra star in their crown today. They were so wonderful for me and I love and appreciate them so much!!! I owe them big time!

Big News!

Well I thought I was gonna get ALOT of blogging done before Eli got here! BUT - I went to Dr. Vineyard yesterday (Thursday) and I was dilated to a 3 and 50% effaced sooooooo if he doesn't come before Tuesday, Dr. Vineyard will be inducing labor at 7 am on Tuesday. Needless to say, this is not exactly how Shad had planned his opening weekend of deer season. Oh well, the deer will always be there! Haha! I am very excited but also very nervous and shocked! I had no idea it would be this soon! I will be posting all of the details and of course many pictures when he arrives.

Colby is getting very excited about his baby brother. I hope his excitement remains once he actually gets here. I took him to his pediatrician on Wednesday for his 3 year checkup and Dr. Pace said he was a very healthy 3 year old. He weighed 34 pounds and is 38.5 inches tall. I also took him to the Pumpkin Patch on Wednesday and took his pictures.

As you all know, I opened All Star Signs in Carthage in August. God has really been blessing our new business adventure. I have a very sweet girl, Megan, that is working for me and she will be taking care of the shop for me while I am out with the baby.

I am so looking forward to the next two weeks off with my boys! Please keep us in your prayers on Tuesday!

Love,

Casey

Wow - I never thought I would be a "blogger"!!!

Ok so my cousin, Adria, has a blog and she suggested I have one too so that I can keep everyone up to date on our growing family. It wasn't very long ago that I didn't even know what the word "blog" meant. I'm still not sure I do! Haha! However, this is where I will post pictures and updates on our family!!! Hope you are all having a great week and I will let you know when I post my next entry!

Casey