Welcome to the new 'The Traylor Park' blog! Ever since the birth of Judah, we fell off the blogging train, but we plan to bring it right on back with the introduction of our new official blog URL... The Traylor Park! That's right, you can find us by typing in www.TheTraylorPark.com! A joke by all our friends that actually started to stick in regards to our home (maybe because it's just that fun if you come over and play in our back yard "park" with the Traylors!) There are big changes on the horizon for our family and we need our blog to help keep everyone updated! Hopefully more on that announcement tomorrow!

For now, I will just leave you with some fun pictures of the boys! Cai, who is 5 now, and Judah who is a crazy 18 month old!

Easter 2015 (above)
It's amazing to us how much these guys have grown just in one summer!

Happy water bugs in MiMi's pool!

At Fripp Island this summer (below)

Judah LOVED feeding the seagulls his chips!

Having a fiesta at the beach!

Sometimes Cai gets a little tired of his mommy's need for practicing her camera skills!

But showing off tatoos?! No problem!

Exploring Brookgreen Gardens (below)

It was a great summer! Wish I had time to share all of the boy's pictures, but for now hope you enjoy these! Thanks for visiting us at "The Traylor Park"!

Blessed Indeed! A look back at this year!

As we head into Christmas and the end of the year, I've been reflecting on the challenges God brought us through this last year! I am not sure that my life has ever changed so drastically from January to December like it has this year!

I started off with a wonderful teaching job that I loved and enjoyed.
We were fostering B.
We were expecting our 2nd son.
We had a rambunctious 3 year old!
Shortly after Judah's birth, we were faced with various infections with our newborn. A ruptured ear drum at just 2 weeks old. 2 hospital admissions where I have horrible memories of nurses poking my tiny infant trying to find veins while he screamed his bloody head off in their treatment room. I knew they were helping him, but my heart broke for him. Spinal taps on this tiny one. Drs showing me the fluid and then one time it was so bloody, because he had already had one before, but this was protocol. Test and more tests. Ear tubes surgery. Finally discovering there were NO neutrophils in his body, yet somehow, miraculously, he healed ever so slowly along with the medicines and God's healing hands. Another admission and then we were sent home with a baby that I was worried if he could even be outside while a neighbor cut their grass.

Yet we experience God's abundant grace and provision through other believers, family, and friends. Meals would just show up at the hospital. People were taking care of our children, home, and even our foster child, because we were too stressed to know what to do with her. The doctors and nurses were amazing as they helped us through the stressful unknowns.

Then, the call from an oncologist, also known as the blood doctors or hematologists, who wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy on my 6 week old baby. It was feeling like too much. Then, he asked if he could pray over us, and God's peace welled up in my soul. This little one was his and I had to trust him. He was precious in his sight!

I didn't know how I would react when I found out that Judah did in fact have a rare blood disorder called Severe Congenital Neutropenia. But, I was thankful. Thankful, of all things! I didn't yell at God or get upset or cry in the bathroom, like I thought I would! The Holy Spirit filled me with a thankfulness that we knew what was wrong and thankful that while no cure existed, we could manage it with daily Neupogen shots. I was thankful for the drs calling us in 2 weeks early for a bone marrow biopsy, now a yearly needed test. Thankful, when the Dr gave me a hug and said, "Welcome to the family. Although, no one wants to be a part of this family. We are glad to have you!"

I never thought I would be this mom. In a way, I never really thought too long about all the children fighting cancer. Now, I see them every couple of weeks when I go to the cancer clinic with Judah. I see those little Brave warriors and their bald heads fighting for their lives. I've gotten to know them just a little. Brave Zoe, Madelyn, Sarah, and Gabriel. The ones I see, but don't know there, too. I sit on the sidelines of this world and pray in a way that is new to me. I see God healing and giving and also choosing when he takes away. Heart shattering. These precious lives.

So. It's true. I've heard the words "bone marrow transplant" and "Leukemia" more times than anyone ever should. And then we've heard amazing news, such as the Neutropenic specialist feel like Judah's disorder has a low risk to developing that bad L word, and they feel like we don't need to worry about having a preventative bone marrow transplant!!! And we humbly praise God and count our blessings that another day is lived with these amazing children of ours!

And now suddenly, it's Christmas! And I look back at this year and the trials that we went through, and continue to praise God for all that he has done for us this year and how my life has changed for the better in many many ways!

I now stay at home full-time and care for my two precious sons.
B is happily fostered by Hart's cousins.
I am very thankful to NOT be pregnant anymore.
And we have a rambunctious 4 year old AND an amazing 9 month old!
We are about to celebrate 6 years of marriage together!

And truly life together is different than what we started out with this year, and yet still beautiful.

 We are very blessed, indeed! Thank you Jesus!

Judah Update: First Blood Work/Results

Quick update. Judah had his first set of blood work done today since he started his meds last week. His neutrophils were still at 0% but his other cells that make up the Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) were higher than normal, so it looks like his body is working on producing more. His total white count is lower than last week, so that means the amount of infection must be going down. So nothing huge, but encouraging nonetheless.

(Here we are in the play room waiting to be seen. Lots of fun toys and even music time! Here's big brother Cai making music!)

Judah Update: Big Brother Happy

Cai sure is happy his little brother is back home!

Traylor Family Life Update

*I started this blog post 12 days before I delivered Judah, and never got around to finishing it! Blogging takes time, and so do my children, they win almost every day right now! That and naps for mama!*

Judah Eastman Traylor (JET) is set to "jet on out" as we have been saying on March 20th, 2014! I will be having my 2nd c-section, and 5th surgery, on this date! We are so excited to welcome our 2nd son, and gift from God, in just 12 more days! I will be exactly 39 weeks pregnant. In our last ultrasound, Judah was very content to sleep with one arm right over his face, so we couldn't get a good 4D photo of him! No matter how much giggling the technician did to my stomach, he wouldn't move that arm! haha!

This pregnancy, especially the last 10 weeks, has just seemed to stretch on like a thousand years. I have had cold & congestion, upon cold, constantly this winter. My body just has seemed to give up on fighting it and I've stayed sick. It's made chasing 2 children and being pregnant even harder! I think I am finally on the verge of it clearing out! Praying I can get healthy, before my c-section!

Update on B: I'm sorry that I sort of left the "blog readers" hanging when it comes to our last court date, regarding B! Basically, no final decisions were made. We found out that we would have B for another 6 months, until the next court date, and I have yet to meet with B's worker (happening next week), to find out how things are looking with the case overall. On one hand, it was difficult to see the court appoint such a long wait time between. Six months seems such a long time in a baby's little world, and yet such a short time in the scheme of things.

We just continue to do our own thing, loving and taking care of this sweet girl that has stolen our hearts. Truly, in the last few weeks, it's felt as if B has become a part of our family in a unique way! They say it takes close to 6 months for any major change to finally feel like you are hitting your stride. I am sure it's the same with a child!

B is doing GREAT as far as milestones and development!

-She is walking everywhere.
-Talking up a storm saying "Dad-dee" "Da-Da" "ma-ma" "ai" (Cai) "moo" "wack-wack" (quack) "duck" "Abe" "dog" and "dog-gee" "night-night" "all-done" among lots of other rambly stuff. She will talk, talk, talk, and laugh, and laugh.
-She loves looking at books, but loves to TALK through them, like she is reading them herself! I will start reading the story and she just starts laughing at the pictures, and pretty much takes over reading time.  
-She is everywhere, all the time, getting into everything she can, especially big brother's things! We finally installed cabinet locks on the rest of our kitchen cabinets! Phew! We call her "wild woman" sometimes, because she loves to pull everything out.
-She still sticks/puts EVERYTHING in her mouth, even at 15 months! It drives this mama crazy, in a good way, of course! She is slowly getting better, but even last night, after stuffing herself with dinner, we put her down for a minute and she picked something up off the restaurant floor and went to put it in her mouth! YUCK! (Now, she will go put things in the trash! We are getting there!)
-She can be a bit of a "drama-mama". It's so funny to me and Hart how different girls are than boys. She will throw herself down, having the biggest tears you've ever seen in your life, over the tiniest of things, sometimes.
-She HATES to be left out of things. If Cai goes in his room and shuts the door and she is in the hall... a BIG CRY will happen!
-She loves her MiMi! We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and she asked for her MiMi to come over by saying "MiMiiii MiMiiii" between big tears. MiMi has been caring for her a lot these last new weeks with baby and she and MiMi have really bonded in a sweet way! I love that she has wonderful grandparents that are willing to love beyond blood lines! It's such a blessing and all of them are giving her a deep heritage from the Lord!

 Micaiah: He is pretty much LOVING being a big brother to Judah! His little 3.5 year old self LOVES being a big helper! I am so grateful for his heart that adores him! (More on Judah next post!) Micaiah is just blossoming into such a big kid! At 3.5 years old, he loves his power rangers (still!) and loves order and structure and will make sure everyone is doing "their job" just right! We call him our little CEO and are trying to teach him how to be a leader vs. being bossy! I love his desire to create and be creative! He loves puzzles, board games (or closet games as we call them), and his friends (Israel, Thatcher, Parker).

Judah: He is here!!!! Born 3/20/14 at 7lbs 2oz, 20 1/4'' long, beautiful, healthy, sweet baby boy!

We are so in love! Thank you, Jesus for this little one! His birth story and more photos to come!

Today. It's all We Have.

Today.

It's all that we are promised.

Today. We drove in the sprinkling rain to Finlay park, praying together as a family for God to grant us favor to get family photos as a family of 4+ without rain.

What if it's the last time? It rang through my heart as a foster mom. It could be. What if it ends the hard way after all this time. What if all our hearts break?

I didn't quite plan through everything like I normally would. They say "forgetfulness" is part of pregnancy brain. Outfits were chosen last minute, clothes strewn across the bed, nothing really matching. Hurrying up in the attic to try to find something for B. Doing gel, and hair oils, and combs while the kids sat in their carseats at the park.

I remember when I had actual energy to think these things through. At the bottom of it, though, I didn't care how we looked; that Cai somehow ended up in kelly green socks that matched Hart's kelly green bowtie. All that mattered was that we had just one picture of all of us, with how far we had come, with our (foster) daughter in the last 6 months. 

As we pulled into the parking lot. Sunshine gleamed through the cloudy sky.

Praises were sent up to God, the maker of Heaven and Earth. The One that holds back the oceans with his command. To the One who Hears and Answers, "YES!"

As the kids ran through the park chasing balloons, and cheesy smiles were given. We came up with "Cheese for Chocolate". The reward for taking happy pictures. 

In my mind, seeing Cai, a big brother, chase his little (foster) sister around with balloons, I just see love. Pure and simple, bursting forth love. Having B has been the hardest, most beautiful thing ever. For all of us. And we would never go back.

There have been days that have been incredibly rough. Hard to want to love a baby that isn't from my flesh. Hard to get down and dirty in the trenches and deal with extreme brokenness of a baby that carries too much baggage, and yet, I look and see the beauty of God at work. Not just in her, but in me. Without her, I wouldn't see my sin and need for my Savior to daily wash over me. I need her to remind me to go to Jesus for my everything.

This Thursday anything could happen as we enter into a courtroom 6 months later. Yet again. I rest in the sovereignty of God. And the prayers of His people. In the plan that He set forth before the foundation of the Earth.

But in my flesh, I am weak, and I am worried. Because I don't know how this will end.

But God, does.

And we choose to follow Him. 

Bedtime Stuffed Animal Overload

I interrupt the string of Foster Care posts I've been writing lately to post our bedtime fun tonight! Cai got a GIANT stuffed dog for Christmas from Hart's parents. It's taken up permanent residence in his bed along with all other 20 stuffed animals. Tonight, Cai piled "Diggity Dog" on top of daddy along with all his other animals and daddy "fell asleep".

His work was done!
Cai is so fun at 3! Love him!

Oh no... Daddy woke up!

Diggity dog is HUGE! Cai thought it was funny I took pictures of his "booty". Cute little booty!

Yes, this is definitely a part of our bedtime routine! We call it "eating heads" what!?!?

And more pure Cai silliness!

Throw in some mommy silly!

Bedtime tickles!
Night!

Traylor Family Update

As Fall has most definitely come to a close, and Christmas is coming at full speed ahead, I'm reminded by God to "be still and know that He is God!" Truth be known, I am loving this crazy season of little kids, pregnancy, and fostering. Each challenging day, I try to take in all of the sweet moments. I've been reminded to "come and play" when Cai asks, to say no quite a lot, so I have less on my plate, and focus on what really matters each day. It's a challenge each and every day, but one worth fighting for! 

Two days ago, I pulled hot, perfectly rounded golden cupcakes from the oven. Cai gasped when he saw them! He said, "Oh, mommy! You are the BEST baker! Look at those cupcakes! Good job, Mommy!" As I placed them on the oven top, I realized how special it can be to bake together, and what a sweet little encourager Cai is. I didn't have the heart to tell him, they were just boxed cupcakes mixed up from Aldi. To him, they were the best thing in the whole world and I was the best mommy in the whole world.

I truly savored that moment of seeing freshly baked cupcakes from a child's eyes, because I know our sweet son won't always think Hart and I are the coolest parents in the world (with mad cupcake baking skillz)! It's these moments that re-affirm why we've worked it out that I can stay home most of the time with the children! I really love it (most days!) ha!

Sweet B is 1 year old today! We've had her for 4 months now! We celebrated her 1st birthday "bumble B" style, because she is one "busy B"!

My heart couldn't stand all the joy, nor her cuteness factor in polka dots and a yellow tutu! Jeez louise, if I had ever dreamed of having my daughter's 1st birthday party, I seriously could not have picked anything better!

"B turned this kitchen stool into a walker. haha!"

B challenges me daily. She's sweet and spunky (already taking up to 6 steps at a time!), has way too much baggage for a baby her size, but at the same time thrives and strives through it all with a perseverance and determination I admire! Fostering/all that entails drives me crazy! But, just when I feel at a low in it, God encourages my heart to keep going. I know this little girl is part of us. God is working out a larger greater story. I praise him for that! I can't mention details about her case online, but I can say I had some encouragement that (maybe... key word... maybe) we could end up with this little girl eventually. Anything can happen at this point in her life and story, and I don't want to assume we will be her forever family, but how wonderful would that be if God gave us her forever? While I struggle on our fussiest days, on days that never seem to end, on days when my heart sort of wishes I didn't have, yet 1 more fussy child to take care of, I know that God is weaving her into my heart in a beautiful way. How that will end, I can't say, but I do know that God is the master weaver, and by His hands he is making one beautiful tapestry of our lives.

Yesterday a follower of mine on Instagram, left me this, beautiful comment:

But, "if I did not love each baby/child, from the minute I touch him/her, as if they are my own, with total abandon, with my whole heart and soul, God would not have called me into this ministry. These children don't need another mother who is detached; they have already experienced loss. They need a mother who will throw open her heart, throw open her arms, and embrace them with a love that changes everyone and everything it touches." (The Middle Mom)



Praying today that I can and will throw open my heart to Love the Lord my God this way, so then I can be poured out again and again to those around me!

Watermelon Kisses

Nothing says summer like chilled watermelon and eating it pool-side!

Well, that and watermelon kisses....

That one is for the photo albums, for sure! These cousins are precious!

Cai's First DSLR Photo

I don't let Cai touch my new camera very often, but the other day, he really wanted to take a photo. He picked it up on the kitchen counter and put it to his eye, like he sees me take pictures. I helped him put his finger on the button to snap the photo and he took his first dslr photo. When I looked down at the camera... I couldn't believe how artistic it had turned out! It made me laugh, because it was of himself reflected in the kitchen aid mixer bowl! I thought I would share his skills...
Funny, funny, right?