Update on the Ballard's

Hello all! So sorry it has been so long! Jeremy and I are doing well. Loving the summer time weather (me not so much....heat=bleck!) and enjoying this time off that I have!

Just after the miscarriage, my pregnancy hormone levels were not dropping the way they were supposed to be. My doctor wasn't really sure why and threw out a couple of options of why that could be but at the same time she wasn't too alarmed. As of my last (and final, thank goodness!) round of blood work on June 1st, my level was FINALLY back down to 0. For this I am thankful because I am finally able to have that complete closure. We have been doing well concerning the loss of our child. I go through spurts of brief sadness every now and then--especially when it seems as if pregnant bellies are the new trend this summer. :) I still keep getting the famous babycenter.com e-mails eventhough I have written to them and unsubscribed from them....grr! Slight frustration...I recieved one Friday that was to mark my 13th week. It's hard to believe that it's already been 7 weeks since our child went to be with the LORD. I know that the LORD has a rhyme and reason for everything and I'm not going to question it. It definitely hurts and is sad but throughout all of this I have never once felt that God "took away" our baby or "took away" our chance of parenthood. It will come again some day and when it does I will praise Him, be filled with excitement and certainly walk on egg shells until that risky period of time has passed. :)

I ended up finishing out the school year at Alpine Crest and loved it, of course! I am loving even more this glorious perk of being a school teacher....time off in the summer! A position or two has come open at ACE and I ask that you please be praying over this situation. If the LORD desires for me to end up at ACE, then I will follow His command (and be exceptionally overjoyed in the process! ). If it's not meant to be for me to end up at ACE or anywhere for that matter then I will work hard to be patient and wait for His direction and guidance. This is where the prayer request comes in. I'm not exactly the most patient chick on the planet. Please pray that I can "let go and let God" as some say. I trust Him and His plan for my life but sometimes I have the urge to say, "Oh will you just let me drive?!" :D

Can you believe that we have been married for almost a year now?! We celebrate out 1st anniversary on the 25th of next month and can't wait! Sometime during the summer we'll be taking a trip to celebrate. I can't wait to start all the little traditions and things we'll do for each anniversary! What do you do to celebrate your wedding anniversary each year?! I don't want to copy, I just want to hear! I praise the LORD every day for Jeremy. He has been such a blessing to my life and I have NO idea what I would do with out him. Thank you Jeremy for being the best husband, sould mate and friend a girl cold have! I love you more than anything on this earth!

You know how sometimes people say that "everything" happens in the first year of marriage?! Well I never actually knew what that meant until I entered this wonderfully amazing journey with my best friend! All in the first year we have encountered:

unemployment
cockroaches
a mouse
a rust spitting dishwasher
new jobs
college graduation
birthdays
a water leak which led to part of the ceiling caving in
a move
a death in the family
an illness
our very first vacation together
a miscarriage
sadness
happiness
YOU NAME IT!

But there's absolutely no one else in this entire world that I would rather tackle all of this with than my best friend.....Jeremy :)

Something else new in my life....your looking at (or reading her family blog at least!) the newest Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay! If you're interested in learning more about this awesome and amazing product and or company leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail at blair.ballard725@yahoo.com. I'd love to buy you a cup of coffee or pamper you (free of charge) for 45 min. to an hour and show you all that Mary Kay has to offer. I'll give you a hint...it's a lot more than skin care and make up! :)

As always, keep your trust in the LORD, treasure those crazy hectic moments in life, and don't let the world block your view of the SON. Later!

Blair Ballard