The Lehman Family Blog

Newborn Photos

2011-02-03T20:43:00.017-07:00

Thank you to my wonderful sister-in-law, Janelle Zeller, we have the most wonderful pictures of our sweet newborns. I am realizing each day how much they are growing and am so grateful to have these photographs as memories of this special time in our family history. Enjoy!

The Lehman Twins Have Arrived!

2011-01-14T16:25:00.007-07:00

Well, I know several of you have been wondering about the twins, so here it goes!

Noah James Lehman was born on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 at 10:38 pm. He weighed just 5 pounds, 12 ounces and is 19" long! His sister, Lily Anne Lehman came out screaming just 14 minutes later at 10:51pm, weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces (also 19" long). Both babies were "star gazers" but were still able to be delivered without a c-section! Praise the Lord! Mom is doing great and recovering well.

Many people have been asking me about labor, and to sum it up in one word I would like to say "WILD"! It was the most amazing, incredible and yet traumatizing experience. No words can really explain the whole process, other than that at the end you have a beautiful baby (or in our case 2 beautiful babies) to take home with you!

The first night at the hospital was a bit scary. Noah had low blood sugar and almost had to go to the NICU. Finally we were all able to go to our hospital room, and shortly after Lily choked, turned purple and had to be rushed to the nursery to be aspirated. The next day they babies had higher belli ruben numbers and had to go to the "suntanning booth" for 8 hours. It is amazing how 8 hours away from your babies can tear you apart.

Thankfully our God always provides and has a a perfect plan for us. All for of us left the hospital on Friday evening and have been home without any complications ever since. The babies are eating well, and are back to their original birth weights. The pediatrician is very excited about the babies' health as well. Nala and Miko have sniffed out and licked the twins; we are all adjusting well!

The first few days home were a complete blur, with very little sleep. Fortunately for our siblings (Jason and Melinda who have twins of their own, Jason and Janelle who have four children of their own and JR and Lorie who have two children of their own) and of course both sets of parents we have a schedule that is allowing for happy, satisfied babies (and a lot more rest for mom and dad too!)

My awesome sister, Janelle, took the twins' newborn photos this week! Here is a sneak peak of my sweet, sweet babies in model mode!

Wednesday is the Big Day!

2011-01-03T19:00:00.004-07:00

Well, Wednesday is the big day! It is kind of strange to be able to make arrangements for the dog, pack our hospital bags, have our parents and siblings plan ahead to come visit us, etc. Being induced is definitely different than the typical "my-water-broke-in-the-grocery-store-let's-rush-to-the-hospital" scene you see in movies!

Tonight and tomorrow will be our last evening's at home without children, and our last nights of unawakened sleep (minus the 5-7 times I get up to use the bathroom) for quite some time. The Lord has blessed our family and this pregnancy in so many ways, they are too many to even name. Today I have been mostly daydreaming about this journey the past 10 months, it brings tears of joy to my eyes.

Things I Will Miss Most About Being Pregnant:

Knowing I am carrying precious cargo on board every second of every day
Feeling those sweet kicks, rolls, turns and jumps and no matter what is going on in the world, everything just seems perfect in that moment
Looking down and only being able to see my belly and bellybutton, realizing how much our two children have grown these past 10 months in the womb to become healthy and happy babies
The royal treatment I have received from my husband and family (cooking, cleaning, beautiful gifts, being driven to appointments)
Extra grace for being tired or forgetful because cooking two babies warrants that
Being able to protect my babies from the world

Things I Never Thought I Could Be This Excited About:

Hearing two babies scream and cry
Changing poopy diapers
Touching my toes
Standing up from the couch/toilet/dinner table without grunting in pain
Walking like a 25 year-old instead of a 90 year-old
Putting on my own shoes and socks
Sleeping on my side instead of sleeping sitting up!
Being able to know my babies are healthy by looking at them in their crib instead of wondering how they are doing in my belly

Almost 37 weeks!

2010-12-31T15:48:00.004-07:00

Well this week has been great! The weather got cold here in Anthem and we even got snow! Take a look at my sweet niece, Gracie (I just love her!)

I don't believe it has snowed here in the Phoenix area like this in about 10+ years. People everywhere were in amazement!

This morning Josh took me for the last non-stress test before the twins get induced! (It is only our 2nd non-stress test in total, but still exciting it is the last.)

The babies are happy, healthy and moving around like crazy. I was told and read that they slow down at the end because they have no room.... well not the Lehman babies.

We are excited that we are set to deliver on January 5th (if they don't come on their own sooner.) It won't be long now! Plus, I have literally cleaned and organized every inch of the entire house. I have nothing more to do! It's hard to believe I would ever say this, but, I am so ready!

I hope everyone has a very safe and happy New Year's Eve!

Update

2010-12-29T09:40:00.003-07:00

Well, it seems like things can change so quickly at the end of a pregnancy! Here is the update of what is going on with the twins and their arrival (given that winter break is already more than half way over.) Well, I went to the doctor on Monday morning and I am 3 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and Noah is at the +1 station. My blood pressure is still high (145/93) but other than that, everything is looking stellar. My blood work is fantastic, no protein in my urine, no pre-eclampsia, babies have plenty of fluid around them both, no distress on the babies, they are growing great, etc. Other than being pretty uncomfortable, I am so happy to say the doctor things I am still "too healthy" to force induction. I was pretty grouchy Monday morning when I found out that we would not be going to the hospital to deliver as we anticipated. Our hospital bags have been sitting in the trunk of the car, and we were planning on going straight to the hospital today. (It is another great lesson in learning about how life doesn't always go how you plan; time to roll with the punches!)

So here was the updated plan as of Monday. I will go to the hospital Tuesday (yesterday) and Friday for non-stress tests of the babies (to monitor their activity and keep a close watch on things in the next 7 days.) I will go back to see my doctor on Monday and if for some reason I still have not naturally gone into labor then I will be induced on Wednesday, January 5th in the morning. My doctor says that going into labor on my own is very possible at any time (but knowing my babies, I wouldn't count on it.)

-----------------------------------
UPDATE AS OF WEDNESDAY MORNING:
So I went for the first non-stress test yesterday and it went beautifully! They hooked me up to 3 monitors (one for Noah, one for Lily and one for me!) The babies have to show 2 accelerations each in 20 minutes, and leave it to the Lehman overachievers, they were done in 5 minutes! Basically, they just have to show that they are healthy when they are active and healthy when they rest. My babies like to play a lot, so the test was a piece of cake. My nurse was great and it was actually really soothing to hear their heartbeats on the monitor and just relax and enjoy them! I will take a picture when I go this Friday to post. My contractions are 4 minutes apart now, so the nurse also said labor could start any moment; she was very encouraging though and really lifted my spirit about keeping them inside as long as possible and all the benefits of them staying in just a few days longer!

At 5 pm yesterday I started having chest pains; I shook it off thinking it was heartburn, took some tums and tried to ignore it. Around 6:30 pm it was getting worse, but I thought I would eat a little dinner and see if it passed (I figured it was just 4 little baby legs sticking in my ribs.) After dinner I was getting a little panicked; took a bath, tried all the different pillow positions, but I was so short of breath, and it was pretty painful to breathe in and out. Finally we called the OB Triage line and spoke with the doctor on call and they told us to come in to the hospital. I knew everything was fine with the babies, it was just worrisome to be 45 minutes away from the hospital and having respiratory pains. 2 hours later (11:30 pm) the pain just started to subside and we ended up just going home. I felt horrible making us go to the hospital, and after all that it was nothing. Josh says, better safe than sorry!

I am really hoping for a smooth rest of the week and into early next week; no more false alarms or hospital trips (unless it's baby time!)

All in all, I am overwhelmed with excitement and am anxious to meet my sweet, dark-haired babies! Although I really want them to come out, I am filled with gratitude that my children are so incredibly healthy and that I have been fortunate enough to carry them throughout these past 9-10 months. Please pray for a patient and content heart for me in the upcoming days; each day is a struggle to try not to rush these babies out. God's timing is perfect and He will send them when they are ready! I am trying to keep my faith in His sovereign plan for our family. Please also keep the babies in your prayers as things are getting really tight in there for everyone. Josh could use some prayers too; he has been such a willing, kind and unwavering husband these past two weeks (lifting me in and out of bed, household chores, driving me places if needed, helping with aches and pains, satisfying food cravings and the list goes on.)

36 weeks pregnant

2010-12-26T22:39:00.004-07:00

Well, we are now at week 36 and I couldn't be more excited! Tonight's newest event was the swelling of my right foot. I have a doctor's appointment in the morning at 10am with Dr. Sawyer so we are not too worried about it, but I really have a feeling that tomorrow might be the day! Ah! I cannot stop thinking of my two precious babies, what they will look like, sound like when they laugh or cry, smell like... everything!

Here is a picture from me this past week (35 weeks). Josh has been off from school, so he has had me on house arrest, resting on the couch and whatnot. We had my parents over, visited Josh's parents several times, and the siblings here in Anthem. I have been craving sushi, so Josh took me to Ebisu one afternoon. It has made the time pass quicker. (Not to mention all the December birthday's and Christmas festivities!)

The animals are taking very well to me being home and available to them at all hours of the day. I think everyone's worlds are going to be rocked when these babies arrive in the Lehman household!

Please keep us in your prayers, for a safe and healthy delivery and recovery. Noah and Lily are so excited to meet all of their wonderful family and friends that have already blessed them so much throughout their time in my belly.

Simon Says

2010-12-22T16:59:00.004-07:00

I have to cherish some of the pregnancy moments and stories that are so fresh in my mind, because I know over time they will become lost in my scattered mommy brain! This morning when I woke up, I just laid in bed with Josh for a while. Lily started moving around sleepily and I said to J, "Uh oh, Lily is up, which means she will be waking up Noah pretty soon too." Within 5 minutes the two of them had started what I called "Simon (or rather Lily) Says." Lily would do something, like kick a foot into my rib. Then she would stop and Noah would do the same. Then Lily would do a quick jerky movement in there; Noah would follow shortly after! It went on for a good 10 minutes too. I was literally laughing out loud because normally they both just squirm and wiggle around simultaneously. This morning's exercise was very strategic though, one right after the other. I feel like I already know these babies, their personalities and all, and have not even met them yet. Being pregnant has been a wonderful experience.

Lily doing her yoga pose at 22 weeks!

Sweet Noah at 29 weeks!

Josh's 26th Birthday... in the hospital!

2010-12-22T16:40:00.007-07:00

December 20th, 2010

Well, Josh's 26th birthday was a very exciting one this year! He had to go to school in the morning and take a big exam on his birthday, and then we had lunch with Bug, Nell, Arianna and Billy. We headed out from Anthem just in time to make our 3:15 appointment with Dr. Sawyer. When he did the exam, I was 2 cm dilated, 90% effaced and my blood pressure was 150/93. Needless to say, he sent us to Wendy's for a quick milkshake to go, and with doctor's orders in our hands we quickly made our way to OB Triage. I had never heard Dr. Sawyer speak with urgency, so when he did, Josh and I both took notice! After blood work, non-stress tests, a high quality ultrasound, urine samples, and quite a few cervical exams, everything was looking stellar! My blood pressure had come way down and the babies are weighing about 5 1/2 pounds each! Both are head down, ready to go and extremely active with great fluid levels. The nurses and doctor could feel Noah's head and his sac. I was extremely excited, but then got upset when one of the nurses mentioned speaking to the NICU nurse's because the babies might be born so early. (The pregnancy hormones definitely have me on a roller coaster ride.) Josh and I prayed and asked our family and friends to pray for the babies. My sister Lorie said to me, "God's timing is always better than ours. His will is sovereign from beginning to end and He is always focused on our best because we are His beloved children. I love you." Wow, I was so touched and became very calm. Within the hour contractions had slowed, no progress and they sent us home! Can you believe it? I still am in shock about the whole thing. We went from what really felt like true labor to being back at home, resting like nothing even happened!

Two days later, here I am, getting a little stir crazy, but doing great. My husband is so wonderful. He spoke with his contacts at school and has from now until he goes into his next rotation in January to be with me (and the kiddos when they arrive). He has been taking great care of me and keeping me entertained. I love him so! Well, that's the news for now, and in the meantime we will be here waiting, patiently for our sweet bundles of joy. Below is a picture of me in the hospital after the meltdown but feeling more at ease about the situation.

It's Been a Long Time

2010-12-21T23:53:00.002-07:00

Well, it has been a long time since I have caught up with the world of blogging, but with the twins on their way any day now, I think this will be a great and quick way to keep a record of our family's journey! I also hope that our family and friends can enjoy sharing in some of life's most precious moments with us as we experience parenthood for the first time... it should be interesting to say the least. Now, I just have to work on being consistent. I will start the updates tomorrow!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T16:19:00.002-07:00

This is Nala's first Halloween so we decided to dress her up! She is such an awesome pup and brings so much joy to my life. She really helps me de-stress at the end of the day! Anyway, Nala is dressed up as a french maid! (Now if only she could help with the housework for real!)

Happy Halloween!

Having Fun with Nala

2009-07-09T17:26:00.004-07:00

Nala has been such a joy since we have gotten her! She was sick after the first day we got her (but our friend who is a vet tech. said that she was just in shell shock from leaving her little mates and adjusting to a new home.) By the next day she was back to her playful self. I must say Nala is a cutie pie! She is getting more active each day, but sleeping better through each night.

Here is a video I made of some of the pictures and videos we have taken of her in the past week. We are doing a lot more things with her and our extended family which is so great!

She is a really popular puppy!

Nala Lehman... an absolute joy in our lives!

2009-06-28T21:43:00.004-07:00

Nala is an absolute joy! She is so well behaved, even at 6 weeks old!
She has only had a hand full of accidents, sleeps at least 3 hours at a time through the night (which means we only have to get up 2-3 times in the middle of the night to take her to the bathroom) and is so playful and sweet.

It has been so fun snapping pictures of this little girl because she is always doing something cute (and still sleeping a lot too!)

She is getting crate trained and it already used to it after just a few days of being at her new home with her new family. She goes right in her princess crate and sits down with her "baby" and her treat and does not whine or cry at all! She likes her den (which makes me so happy.)

Here is Nala, totally passed out in her crate. I don't think she minds when we are gone for a little while, what do you think?

Nala and Dad playing on the floor.

Nala after bathtime, wrapped up in a towel and falling asleep as I brush her out!

Another episode of "The Chronicles of Miko and Nala."

Every morning Miko and Nala make a new stride in their friendship as siblings.
With Miko being the alpha male and Nala being a little playful puppy, there is definitely never a dull moment!

In this picture, Miko is sitting on the ottoman above Nala, and swats at her as she runs by. Nala likes it though! She just wants to play with her big brother.

Josh sleeping after making it through the first two rough nights. It takes time to get adjusted to waking up in the middle of the night. Naps are definitely a nice plus of summer time.

Our niece, Sadie Joy holding Nala. Our sister, Janelle has three kids that absolutely LOVE puppies! They all wanted to hold her and give her love! It is great for Nala, because she always wants attention.

Our nephew Gage, and Nala in the backyard! Gage did so good holding Nala and even walking around with her. He was so gentle with her, and even set up some pillows on the ground to make her comfortable. He's the best!

Our niece Gracie with Nala! She LOVED Nala so much that she just wanted to squeeze her up! Nala is not too sure about it all, but they both did great together! Grace is so sweet.

Welcome Baby Nala!

2009-06-24T16:55:00.006-07:00

Nala Lehman has arrived at the Lehman household.

Nala is our new little girl, 6 weeks old, a beautiful Golden Retriever.

Josh grew up with dogs, and I was always a cat person.

Now we have one boy cat, Miko Lehman and one girl puppy, Nala Lehman!

Below: Nala saying goodbye to her brothers, sisters and parents 2 days ago in Scottsdale.

Nala is our little runt, the little peanut that is laying on her back enjoying the attention from her brother! Oh we are going to have so much fun with this little personality.

NALA LEHMAN

June 2009

Below: Nala eating her first treat!

The Lehman's in Amsterdam!

2009-06-24T16:46:00.003-07:00

Amsterdam was a very relaxing weekend in the most beautiful hotel, called the Dylan. We had the most beautiful hotel room, and by the end of our trip, we were ready for some good relaxing time. Amsterdam is a small city compared to London and Paris. We were able to see the whole city by boat in the canals. It was beautiful weather, very relaxing and an enjoyable time for us! Below are the boys on the boat, enjoying the ride while Michelle and I chit-chatted (as usual!)

This gives you an idea of what this quaint city looks like from the canals!

Bike riding is crazy in Amsterdam! Everyone uses bikes, and there are special bike lanes everywhere in the city. If you accidentally walk in the bike lane, it is bad news for you! You will get rung at immediately by someone on their bike. Needless to say, that only happened once or twice before we learned our lesson!

My favorite part of the trip was seeing Anne Frank's house, where she hid after the Nazi's invaded Germany and the Netherlands. We got to see how they lived and documentation from the time. It was so sad and real to be there and really brought a new perspective to how much history is filled in these older cities.

A Delicious Meal in France!

2009-06-24T14:21:00.005-07:00

We had a delicious meal in France together! We ate outside and enjoyed each other's company! I have missed my best friend Michelle for so long. This is the first time that we had seen each other in almost 4 years do to us living on opposite sides of the world.
This vacation was just what Josh and I needed... to get away, to remember how fun it is to be married, and to get rejuvenated for the year ahead!

Below: Michelle's duck with potatoes. Tony's lamb and mashed potatoes.

Josh's sea bass and fresh vegetables.

My scallops with risotto.
To top off the whole meal, we had creme brulee (my favorite) and the best chocolate mousse I have ever had. I must admit, I liked the chocolate mousse better than the creme brulee (that is rare!)

All in all, the trip was amazing! Every moment with my husband! Every moment with my best friend!

The Lehman's in Versailles, France!

2009-06-24T10:01:00.005-07:00

My absolute, hands down favorite part of France was the Palace of Versailles.
Originally, royalty lived in what is now the Louvre; however, they wanted something more so they moved to Versailles. All I have to say is... INCREDIBLE! This chateaux is the most breathtaking structure and by far the grandest castle of Europe.

Below is the first glimpse of the palace as you are walking up from the metro stop. You walk slightly uphill, and there in front of you is this grandiose structure made of gold and beautiful architecture.

Below is the Hall of Mirrors, lined in real gold and crystal. It is one of the most famous rooms in the world and at the time of construction, mirrors were amongst the most expensive products.

Below is the one of the Prince's staircases. There are over 16 staircases in the house alone. Each member or royalty had their "own" staircase.

This is the view from the King's room inside the palace, overlooking part of the entrance to the palace. Can you imagine if this was your house and you were sitting upstairs waiting for your friends to come over for a dinner party? WOW!

Below is an example of classic decor in the palace. Everything is lined with real gold and the fabrics are extravagant. The marble and patterns used in every room of this monstrous castle are different... nothing repeats!

This is a picture of the courtyard. They are not considered the gardens, because that is a completely separate entity. I guess you would call this your side yard! We were unable to visit the gardens, but you can rent bicycles and golf carts to get through the garden area. Can you believe it?

The Lehman's in Paris!

2009-06-24T09:41:00.007-07:00

Paris was by far the most beautiful city of the three major cities we visited in Europe, however, it was the most difficult to communicate.

We saw so many places via our open tour at the top of a double decker bus. The company provided headphones that plugged in where you sat on the bus. You chose your language and then as you are driving around, you know exactly what you are seeing.

Above: Double Decker Hop-On Hop-Off Bus with the Arc de Triomphe in the back!
Below: Notre Dame (notice the beautiful detail in the actual structure!) It is amazing that they were able to build these structures without the technology we have today.

Below: The world famous Eiffel Tower. The picture does it no justice. It is truly amazing when you see it from a distance, when you are standing at the base of it, and when you climb up it! Josh and I, along with Tony and Michelle paid to climb to the first two levels. Michelle and I stopped at the first level. You would not believe how high up even the first level is. It was quite a workout climbing all those stairs. The boys continued on up to the second level. From there you have to pay more to take an elevator to the very top.

This is the amazing view from just the first level! Can you imagine the second level? Or the very top? It was so windy climbing up to the first level, but absolutely stunning! The weather was just stunning for our entire trip, with only a day or 2 of rain in total of 3 1/2 weeks! The locals said we brought the great weather with us from Phoenix. We sure did feel blessed to have great exploring weather.

Below: The Louvre (famous museum and home of the Mona Lisa!)

After years of seeing pictures of the Mona Lisa in textbooks, I finally got to see it. Would you believe that it is only about the size of an 11x13 frame? It really is tiny! They wouldn't let us use our flashes in that part of the musuem, so it is quite blurry!

Below: The beautiful Sacre Coeur atop a hill and the view once we got to the top!

The Lehman's in London!

2009-06-24T08:15:00.003-07:00

We're home! After 3 1/2 weeks of nothing but friends, food and fellowship we have so many pictures to share. London, Paris and Amsterdam were absolutely incredible.
We stayed with family friends, Pahki and Manjula and traveled with my best friend Michelle and her boyfriend Tony.

This is Josh and I on our first day out exploring in London. We were ready to see what Europe is all about, meet some people and see some amazing places!

Below is Westminster Abbey. We took the train to Victoria Station and walked to Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliment, Big Ben, the Aquarium and more. It is amazing how close together everything is when you are in a big city.

On our first weekend in London, Michelle had the weekend off of work so Josh, Michelle and I took a boat cruise down the Thames River (the main river in London.) The boat ride was beautiful and gave us great views and commentary of London city! Below is Big Ben and then the London Eye, followed by Tower Bridge.

Leaving for Europe!

2009-05-24T22:37:00.002-07:00

Ah! This day has finally arrived!

Josh and I have been planning to go to Europe for as long as I can remember us even dating.

When we first met, it was just a pipe dream!

The next year, we were planning to go to Europe with my mom and dad as a summer vacation.

Due to Josh's amazing proposal and the planning of our wedding, we had to postpone the trip!The following year after us getting married we were buying the house and going to Europe was not feasible. Plus, we got Miko and Josh was starting medical school!

Finally, the Lord is blessing us by giving us the financial strength to save and get to Europe!

Josh and I both have this summer off (by the way this is the only summer the two of us will have off time together).

We are going to visit my best friend Michelle and to travel London, France and Amsterdam with them and some other family friends!

I can't wait to go--- but I know when we get back I will be excited to post all the pictures and videos!

Bon voyage!

PS- Here are 2 pictures of all our luggage!

God is Good

2009-05-21T22:55:00.002-07:00

Hi Friends and Family,

I just want to share with you some of the good news that has happened in the past week.

Some of you know, and some of you do not know that this past year of work has been very stressful for Josh and I. With Josh being in medical school and me working literally 14 hours a day on a consistent basis plus weekends it has been a challenging year. Needless to say, I have been praying for the past few months about possibilities for the future.

In the past two weeks especially, it has been very challenging at work. There are a lot of things happening with the budget and administration that are causing stress with my bosses. Teachers are tired; students are ready to be on summer break; pretty much, things are winding down.

A few months ago, the Lord laid some different revenue generating ideas on my heart. Some people may say it was by coincidence that family members brought up some business ideas, but I know that it was all part of His plan. I also had another parent at the school propose some new ideas and help offer advice.

Long story made short, things were not looking very promising for next year and my anxiety level was increasing by the day. For the past month I feel like I have been hit by a ton of bricks. I have been faithful in praying that the Lord will close the doors that need to be closed, and open the doors that need to be opened. I was not sure of what was best for me to do, but I knew my questions would be answered in time.

Yesterday I met with my boss, and after the past week of things looking down, there was a total change. I won’t get into too much detail now (since this email is already getting lengthy) but my boss and I have re-connected and she is offering me a 2/3 schedule at Kellis. This means that I only teach ½ a day and I still get to keep the benefits and 2/3 salary. I will continue to coach cheer so that will supplement our income also. On the side, I will be opening a small business and looking into several endeavors on that path. The business is going to be called PeoriaCheerz and it will be marketed to the feeder schools in our district. I have been praying about this business idea for almost 4 months know and I have finally come to a point that I am sure this is the right thing to do. I know between Josh and I we will still have enough money to support our family without putting a strain on our finances and marriage, and there is no financial risk in this project (there is 0 outgoing startup costs.) Josh is extremely excited and has been incredibly supportive. He is the other rock in my life that constantly encourages me to reach for dreams. Obviously when starting any business there is some form of risk, but I believe that is part of the beauty. Between the two of us, we will still have stable enough salaries to support our family, but on top of that there is room for a positive risk- which means potential. With our strong work ethics, I believe that there will be more benefit to this idea than detriment.

I know that we will need the support of our friends and family more than ever, as we are young and still have much to learn. We want to thank you in advance for your love, support and prayers as we continue on this incredible journey.

On a side note, I am reminded of so many powerful life lessons each day. I started to lose hope throughout this process; Satan definitely has a way of sneaking in when you are most vulnerable. However, through persistence and the grace of God, I know that He is helping me each day. I know He can guide and lead us if we listen in the quiet of our hearts and focus on it. I am in awe of how amazing the power of prayer really is- not because our prayers are always answered the way we want them to be answered, not because they are answered in the time we want them answered, but amazed because it is in His time, which is always what ends up being best.

We love you guys!
Josh and Becca
J

Boot Camp for Cheer Camp

2009-05-17T17:57:00.003-07:00

Mrs. Rodriguez with Ladies Fitness Bootcamp hosted a fitness bootcamp as a fundraiser for the girls at the beginning of May!
If you didn't get to make it out to the event, here's a sneak peak from the day! It was a great time!

Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!

2009-05-17T10:07:00.003-07:00

Don't forget to check out more of what I have been doing in the past month at kellischeer.blogspot.com!

I am so incredibly proud of my girls and all they do on a daily basis.

It is neat to see what a transformation is happening in our athletic program.

Gag'es 5th Birthday Party!

2009-05-17T00:38:00.008-07:00

Gage's 5th Birthday Party was a great success today at Mom and Dad's house!

All the kids had a fantastic time, as you will be able to tell from the video.

My sister, Nell did a great job putting together the idea and all the activities that go along with a Mad Science birthday party. I can't imagine how hard it will be to put together a birthday party when we have kids running around.

Props to her!

Anyway, enjoy the video. This is only the first project I have thrown together since getting the new camera. I hope to learn some new techniques to be able to put together better videos. Nonetheless, it is fun being able to edit video on my computer.

I think back to the old school days of having converters and putting video into the VHS player. Boy am I glad those days are over!

Greer's 1st Birthday!

2009-05-10T20:17:00.007-07:00

So my nephew Greer turned 1 this month! He is so handsome and cute,

growing up to be a great little boy!
We had a family party at the park hosted by my brother and sister (JR and Lorie!) They did a great job putting together the whole thing. The best part was watching Greer eat the yummy cupcakes I made for dessert. He just smashed the whole thing in his hands and on his face! It was a riot! Anyway, it was a great time with family and friends.

It's Been Too Long!

2009-05-10T20:11:00.002-07:00

Well... it has officially been "too" long! The Lehman's have been so busy that I almost forgot my blog existed! I haven't even checked everyone elses blog in about a month, forget about posting! Anyway, hopefully I can get back on the bandwagon now that school is ending and Josh and I are headed to Europe for a month. We will have many wonderful memories to share and document.

Just as an update, here are some of the things happening in our lives:

*Becca's end of the year dance shows were last week- 4 shows= wow!

*Josh's finals are coming up next week. He has about 9 tests in one week. They are not easy tests either; they are crazy!

*Becca's been working hard on fundrasing for cheer. In the past week alone we have done 4-6 fundraisers including Maui Wowi, shaved ices, carwash, photography, bootcamp, and the Wow Conference! Ah!

*Gage's 5th birthday (our nephew)

*Greer's 1st birthday (our nephew)

*Getting ready for Europe!

*Becca getting ready for the end of the school year and finals at Kellis!

*Figuring out what to do for next year's work plan and situation- keep praying for Becca- it's a tough thing.

*Mother's Day (TODAY!)

Needless to say, it's definitely been a ride and Josh and I are definitely in need of this upcoming vacation to just spend quality time with each other with no other distractions!

Faculty Follies 2009

2009-04-18T23:36:00.002-07:00

Every year, the teachers at Kellis put on "Faculty Follies." It's a one evening show, in which the teachers put on several acts for the enjoyment of the students. This year we had a group of 7 girl teachers that did a dance to "Untouched" by the Veronicas. It was a crazy and fun time, with plenty of laughs. I am so grateful to work with people that have such wonderful hearts for teaching and being a part of our students' lives.

Easter 2009

2009-04-18T23:33:00.002-07:00

This past Easter was a wonderful time with friends and family. Josh and I had my side of the family over in the afternoon after church. We had a delicious meal together and I enjoyed celebrating our Lord and Savior. Later in the evening, we went to Josh's parents house and celebrated Easter with the rest of the family. It was a fantastic day!

Another Blog to Check Out

2009-04-15T19:38:00.002-07:00

Well... I decided to start a new blog for my cheerleaders. I know I don't always have a lot to post about my life outside of work, but there is definitely a million things happening each day at work and with my cheer team! The girls are going to be spending the next year preparing for nationals. I promised myself that we would do a better job documenting their journey! So, if you are curious to know what I spend all my extra hours at work doing... check out www.kellischeer.blogspot.com! This is how I keep entertained while my amazing husband is studying for hours on end at medical school!

Blessed

2009-04-01T21:26:00.005-07:00

Sometimes I just have to take a break in the busy life to take a step back and realize how blessed I am. I am not sure how aware everyone is with the current crisis happening with our education system in Arizona, but it is pretty awful. Many teachers are facing losing their jobs, their insurance and will be left unable to provide for their families. With that being said, it has been quite chaotic at work the past few weeks. I guess despite the hardships we face daily, I praise God with thanksgiving on a daily basis for my soft heart. I don't allow my heart to become hardened by wordly things (or at least in this situation I haven't.) I must say that it has taken a long time to learn to trust the Lord. As a younger Christian, I would constantly be faced with the difficulty of trusting someone you can't physically see. Through prayer and patience my relationship with the Lord gets stronger every day. I love this verse. I've memorized it and use it to help me get through the moments where I feel myself slipping. I just remember that Scripture tells us to trust, no matter what the situation.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Parents in India

2009-03-21T18:03:00.004-07:00

Well, my parents went to India last month. As I expected, I thought it would be amazing! Here is just a picture or two from the Taj Mahal, which is considered the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.

I know money doesn't buy love, but wow! Considering this started being built in 1632 it is pretty bold statement of love. It's amazing to think they even had this capability so long ago.

The New Furniture!

2009-03-21T17:19:00.005-07:00

So, I have to say that I absolutely LOVE http://www.modelhomeliquidators.com/! One of my student's mom took me to Gilbert, AZ on Friday morning to a model home liquidation sale. It was a once in a lifetime experience that was out of this world! On Friday morning I woke up at 4:45 am (and I must say that I didn't get very much sleep because I was like a little kid on Christmas Eve.) I arrived at the Poes house at 5:30am and we together got to Gilbert by 6:30am. We were the second people in line at the model homes. I took a peek around and found a living room set that I absolutely loved- chocolate brown with a bright blue accent! At 8:00am they opened the gates and everyone flooded into the homes, pulling white tags off of all the items they wanted to purchase. Luckily Chrys Poes had a plan, and we rushed to the living room I wanted to buy. We got all the tags on the pieces we wanted, and then continued around the houses looking at all the beautiful furniture and decor! It was AMAZING! By the end of those 10 minutes I had a handful of tags and white knuckle syndrome. We sat down and started sorting through the tags, deciding what to keep and what to put back for other people to purchase.

Here is the sofa that we got for $400!

Miko enjoying the new furniture! Boy is it rough being a cat or what?

(We looked everything up online and CAN NOT believe how much we saved!) The furniture is a fantastic quality, it has never been used because people just go through model homes and really don't sit for long periods of time in them, and the discount was unbelievable.

We also got 2 wing chairs, an occasional chair and ottoman, coffee table, end table, semi-circle table, silk plants, the artwork, the vases, books, finials, etc.

I am telling you this is every woman's dream of shopping.

I decorated our entire front room within hours. Normally, decorating an entire room is a yearlong process of finding the perfect finishing touches.

In this case, a professional interior designer got hired and paid to decorate this model home from all different stores. They spent a lot of time and energy coordinating everything and making it look beautiful and then Josh and I were able to pick it all up in one stop for an unbeatable price.

I would highly recommend this for anyone who has a new home or apartment, or for anyone that is looking to add finishing touches to their current home.

Our new living room thanks to the Poes family!

Final Quarter of the 1st Year!

2009-03-15T12:40:00.002-07:00

So Josh has just started his final quarter of the year!

It is hard to believe that one year is almost complete. Honestly, this first year of medical school has flown by (which I wasn't expecting at all). Although it has been a long and trying year for our family, it has been rewarding on such a higher level. Josh has learned so much material, and like a sponge he is absorbing all of the things he will need to know in order to be the best doctor he can be. I am amazed on a daily basis the things he learns, the facts he blurts out randomly, and how commited he is to his studies. I feel blessed to have a husband that works hard at everything he does, including his relationship with God, his schooling and his family. I praise God that he is able to balance all of these things!

I found this comic that reminded me of Josh as a young and handsome doctor once he is done in school! I think it is fitting.

Devil Cat

2008-11-03T14:03:00.002-07:00

As you can tell from this picture, it was very dark when it was taken!

Although Miko is growing in size, I sometimes forget that he is still such a kitten. In his mouth is his toy mouse, but I'm sure if he could talk he would say that it is much more than a toy. When Miko get's ahold of his yellow mouse it is SERIOUS business in our house. Usually things are flying and Miko is sliding around the tile like crazy! It just so happened that in the middle of last night, while Josh and I were trying to sleep, Miko decided that it was play time. (That is why there are devil horns added above his head!)

And People Say Cheer Is Not a Sport!

2008-10-31T17:20:00.005-07:00

Well, we have been blessed to have as few injuries as we have,

but there are definitely still injuries nonetheless.

Below is the Varsity Team Captain, Jazzy. She caught an elbow during stunting!

4 stiches and one day out of practice!

Below is another senior on our team, Jessica! She fell from a stunt and was not hurt badly, but a pretty sweet bruise!

Medical School

2008-10-31T15:23:00.003-07:00

Just finished my second to last week of my first quarter of medical school. And I am tired!! I have finals starting next week, 10 exams over the next week and a half. Study Time!!

The New Blog

2008-10-25T23:23:00.005-07:00

Welcome to our new blog!

We are excited to document our journey through this amazing thing called life. We feel so blessed to be able to share our blessings with our friends and family!