Love me some good news!!

We have been so busy this weekend that I haven't had a chance to give y'all an update ;o) Let me start by saying Thank you Lord for great news!!! Here's the newest...

I went to my specialist on Friday and they measured Dawson. He is measuring a day bigger than he is, which is great. 2 weeks ago my fluid was measuring too high at 28.8 and on Friday was 24.6. Anything between 5 - 25 is normal. So, I am now "the upper limits of normal" according to my Dr.!! My contractions have slowed down TREMENDOUSLY and I had nothing but a great report!!!

Just wanted to make sure I shared that praise report!!

Every good & perfect gift is from above
-James 1:17

It's been a year...

On June 9th 2010 at my early morning ultrasound I saw my baby boys hearts were no longer beating. It wasn't until June 10th that I gave birth to our two little angels. It feels like it was just yesterday, but an entire year has come and gone. Although the heartache is not as raw as it once was, the hurt is definitely still there. But, I focus on all the positives and ask God for strength, healing, & laughter.

Here are a few of the things I've realized - I know that if we had the boys we probably would NOT have a Dawson on the way. I wouldn't have the ability to understand and help other mothers who have lost little angels like I have. As simple as that may seem, it has truly helped me to heal a little more by sharing what the Lord has taught me through our loss. I look forward to the day that the Lord calls me home so I can finally rock my 2 little blonde baby boys in heaven. Until then, I will treasure every day with my family to the fullest.

Although we've lost, we are SOOOO very fortunate!! God has given us an amazing little girl, our Shae Bird, and allowed us to get pregnant again with a little boy, Dawson.

So, this week may be a bit rough for us, but we are grateful... Grateful for the time we were pregnant with Shyloh & Tyce, grateful for every hug we get from Shae & grateful for every kick we feel from Dawson.

Gratefully Optimistic,
Reneé

Our little boy

As a lot of you know, last year was a very eventful one for us. It was this time last year that we were in Miami trying to help our twin boys. It has been almost a year but some of the hurt still lingers and I assume it always will. Well, we are pregnant again with a boy named Dawson and wouldn't you know this pregnancy seems to be on a course of sheer excitement.
Last Friday, Renee had a checkup with her high risk doctor. Yes it is the same doctor we visited so many times last year. We know them well. :) During her ultrasound it was discovered that there is too much amniotic fluid. This could mean that Renee has gestational diabetes or something could be wrong with Dawson. He might be unable to swallow as well as he should or it could be as serious as down syndrome or it could be nothing at all and he will be perfectly normal. This past Monday, Renee went to her regular OBGYN for the diabetes testing. On Tuesday she found out that she is not even in the realm of being considered diabetic. So, now she is to see her high risk doc in 2 weeks to possibly see what is causing the excess amniotic fluid. They have given us the choice of testing to see if there are markers for down syndrome but we declined due to the fact that a gift from God is a gift from God. You take it no matter what He gives you.
Once again, we are asking for your thoughts and prayers. Our spirits are high and we know that God has something in store for us. We are being used and we only hope that our attitudes and love for Christ will shine like never before.

Thank you.
The Britts

If you have a minute, please check out this song. Lately, it has really hit home with me.

April Showers bring May Flowers!!

Yesterday was a wonderful Mother's Day, the start of my 24th week of pregnancy & a tough milestone. Last year we spent Mother's Day on the way to Miami for my 1st procedure with the twins. Also, I gave birth on the Start of my 24th week of pregnancy to my 2 little angels.

I got an email from someone and at the bottom I LOVED the quote she had... "Be more kind than you think you should, because everyone is battling something" How true!! To the outside world of people that don't really know me I have it made. I'm young and pregnant with a little girl at home and a baby boy on the way. But, in reality I have some rough days because I'm really Mom to 4 babies... although 2 never came home with me...

Just had to get that out today ;o)

On a brighter note Shae and I went and purchased some flowers to plant!! I don't have much of a green thumb (actually I have what most would call a brown thumb) but I'm a positive thinker and just know that this year it will be different!! AND if my plants die its ok because there's always next year ;o)

Oh yeah and Home Depot now has a 1 year guarantee!! So, they're basically saying all you "brown thumber"s take a chance and if it doesn't work out (and it probably won't) then you can come back for another chance!! We too are positive thinkers and truly hope our plants can survive at least 1 year with your brown thumb!! ;o)

Hope you have a blessed day!!

Short sweet and to the point of my good news!!

I don't have much time this morning but I do want to share my awesome news from yesterday....

So, I got an email from my psych teacher. (I was in her class last quarter) Well, she emailed me to ask if it was ok that she nominate me.... Here is the email...

Renee,

I would like to nominate you for Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL). GOAL is a State program that awards a technical college student for outstanding work and recognition. Once nominated the committee will verify that you are eligible to participate. You’ll work with our GOAL coordinator to do a short speech and go through “interviews” here on campus. It sounds nerve-racking, but if you go to the state level and win you actually win a car! I think you’d do great.

Please let me know if you would be comfortable in me nominating you. If so, I will need to write a brief nomination letter and might need some background information (i.e. do you participate in any clubs, non-profit organizations, etc.)

Nomination forms are due this Friday please let me know either way ASAP.

Thanks!

Leslie Crickenberger, Ph.D.
Director of Human Resources
Athens Technical College

I was and still am beyond the moon honored and excited that out of hundreds of students she had in her classes she chose to nominate me!!!

I guess when you pray for confirmation that you are in the right place in your life and you get an email like that God is shouting YES!!

So, I will keep you updated during the process. Please keep me in your prayers.

Did I mention how stinking excited I am?!? Yep, still excited!!!

These boots weren't made for walking...

Today was filled with a lot of laughter. Shae is sick at home with another sinus infection... Poor girl has had one a month for the past 3 or 4 months. So, I stayed home with her. I don't know which is funnier, the fact that she keeps tooting and sneezing simultaneously or her reaction to it!! She's embarrassed for a second and then apologizes and laughs. "I'm 'sposed to toot in the baffroom but it was an accident when I sneezed"

I've been able to make dinner for my family the past 2 nights and I have to say, I have really enjoyed it. Normally I don't get off work until after 7pm so I am unable to make dinner unless it's the occasional crockpot roast. Making dinner reminded me how rewarding it is for me to make food others enjoy eating.

Speaking of cooking, I am so excited to go see Paula Deen live at Cherokee! We will watch her make a dinner and then she has a meet and greet afterwards. The tickets were REALLY inexpensive!! I can't wait!! Hopefully I will leave with better cooking knowledge and a thicker southern drawl!! "hey y'all!"- in my best Paula Deen voice.

I had a bit more "get up and go" today than I've had in a while. That was reassuring. I really am trying to get to a happier place. But, baby steps are better than no steps right? I need to get back into my arts and crafts... That always makes me happy!! Even if it's just making things for Shae or my Mom, I enjoy it. Its like I get lost in it.

Just to solidify the fact that we need our own reality tv show at the shop, I am going to share a story. Someone I know tried on a pair of stretch knee high boots ( you know the kind without a zipper on the inside ). Well, it was a tight fit at the foot to get it on... It was clear they didn't fit. So, I see this person pulling it while sitting on the floor. It doesn't come off. Then she stands up and pulls... Nothing. Then she sits in a chair and the boot won't budge. I look at her color drained face and ask, "has the panic set in yet?" Without hesitation she quickly replies,"Yes! Go get my friend, please." so I quickly get her friend to help. I am DYING laughing and hear her say to her friend "it won't come off! I think we'll have to cut it off!! Wait, not my leg." At this point I can no longer breath I am laughing so hard. Best laugh I have had in a while!!

I know exactly how she felt because it happened to me at a department store with $90 boots that I couldn't afford to buy. They zipped up, but wouldn't come down until about 30 minutes later. I was mortified, first, that my calf was the size of a killer whale and 2nd, I was panicked because I COULD NOT afford to ask them to cut it off!! It was my early 20s ... I quickly learned NEVER to try on anything I could not afford to have cut off!! Haha

Now you all know an embarrassing fact about me . Feel free to leave a funny or embarrassing story yourself!!

So, as most of you know 2010 was a roller coaster, to say the least. Great highs and terrible lows. Well, we would like to start this new year out with some good news... We are pregnant. I am hesitant to announce this great news because I am scared....

I am scared that since I poured all of my love for the boys in to Shae that I may not love "new baby" as much. I am scared of losing another baby. I am scared to be excited because it might mean I won't miss the boys as much. I'm scared to go to a baby shower... I am scared.

But, although I am not promised tomorrow I know I get a brand new start with every sunrise. So, even though today was scary, tomorrow doesn't have to be. My hope is that by getting out what I am feeling or thinking I can work through being scared and start getting to a place where I can enjoy and even be excited about this pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, Scott and I planned this pregnancy and we're excited, but something happened when found out.... I guess it sunk in.

Long story shorter, we are expecting. August 28th is the due date. We should know more in February when we go in for the check up.

Please keep us in your prayers

Renee

Wanting the want

Church. Some of us go and some of us do not. We all have our reasons for both. For myself, Sunday morning comes and going to church depends on Renee wanting to go. I am usually not motivated to attend. When I do go it doesn't take me long to figure out why I enjoy church. The fellowship, the praise and worship, and most of all, the teaching. When I leave I am motivated to take on the world. I feel energized. I can't wait to get home and read all of my "spiritual" books I have so I can grow closer to Him. I am going to be God's most dedicated disciple. :)
Home. It is our comfort zone. Our place to relax and enjoy the things that make us happy. It is also the place where a lot of us lose our "want". As soon as I sit back to watch whatever football game is on, I lose my want. Why? Because my want to please God is not my priority.
When God took our family through this past summer and we lost Shyloh and Tyce, I knew I had grown closer to God. But, as time went on I found myself walking away from God, then running from Him, and lately it has seemed like I've been sprinting. I know why. I feel cheated and when you feel cheated, you get angry and I am more angry than you could imagine. If God is so powerful and so good, why do bad things happen?



I think I found my issue. My want is of the world and not of God.

God never said it would be easy to have a relationship with Him. The first step is wanting to have a relationship with Him and when we make Him our priority we will begin to see how our doubts and lack of faith in God slowly disappear. For me it's not so easy. I give Him all of my anger. I give Him my fears. I give Him me one day at a time.

We sang this song at church this morning. It's the first time I have ever heard it but it really spoke to me. I hope it speaks to you.



Please pray for our family. Please pray for me and my want for God.