Taylor Giles Gurney

Here are the long awaited pictures of our little "Tay bug"...thanks for your patience. It's interesting that the last post from us was Taylor's ultrasound pictures and here she is at ONE MONTH OLD!!! Life is crazy, but we are having a blast with three precious, high-energy kids. The boys can't get enough of their little sister (and I guess each other too as far as that goes...it's just expressed differently). We are really noticing that Taylor turns towards her brothers' voices when they're in the room. Why wouldn't she, that's all she heard for nine months, right?? Noah calls her "Tay Tay" and Tucker finally moved from "That Baby" to "Taywor!!!" She is precious and sleeping like a champ for a one month old. I only get up with her one time during the night, and few nights she has let me sleep eight hours!!!! Well, anyway, I could keep giving you updates, but really haven't got the time. Maybe just comment with questions that you have for the Gurneys and our life as a a five person family!!! Love you guys!!!!

Taylor Giles at 31 weeks!!

Oh my word, we are so pumped about Taylor being here in 8 weeks!!! I won an all-inclusive package for 3D ultrasound session and pictures at this place in Lexington. We all went yesterday and had a blast looking at our precious girl. Noah and Tucker were so into it (well, into the toys that were in the room too). Noah could recognize things on the screen faster than I could tell what they were. She kept her arm by her face the whole time. Here are just a few of the better shots. Taylor definitely has the cheeks and lips that seem to run in our family. We really think she looks like Noah. I compared these with ultrasound pics of Noah and they are very similar!!! We can't wait to meet her and hold her!!

Houses and more houses!!

So with the boys gone to MS, Matt and I took advantage of the time and went to see a couple of houses this morning before leaving on our mission trip to Chicago tomorrow. We saw two extremes of houses. One being the low end of our affordable range, definitely liveable but would have things to be done to it (a little at first: painting, fence in the backyard; a lot of projects along the way...when we're up for it and have the time with three little ones, two full time jobs, and youth ministry activities). The other house was on our higher end (budgeting more for our house payment than what we're used to) but an amazing house, great floor plan, no work needed unless we wanted to change color schemes. So many pros and cons to both. A very interesting and exciting place for our minds and hearts to be right now. Just wanted to share with our friends/family.
We leave for Chicago tomorrow for 7 days. Pray for us!!

Soccer Camp

Noah had a blast at soccer camp last week! His coach, Coach John, was from Scotland and a great encouragment to these kids. There were 5 kids at the camp ranging from 3-4 yrs. old. Pretty sure Noah was the oldest and he did fantastic following directions and listening to the coach (as best he could with his NC/KY ears to the Scottish accent...quite hilarious at times). Here are some videos too:

Long Awaited Pictures from the Summer so far!!!

We stayed in MS for a few days before heading to the beach to spend time with family. Matt's aunt and uncle have great trees in their yard. This may be Noah and Tucker's first real experience with climbing trees. They had scratches on their legs to prove it...can you say, "ALL BOY!!!"

Aunt Jen, Matt's sister, got Noah and Tucker fishing poles for the birthdays. This was Noah, Tucker, and my first time fishing!!! Thanks Jen, the boys had a blast!!!

Here are the pictures from Gulf Shores, AL. We had an amazing time and were richly blessed by family and the breath-taking scenery.

"CHEESE!!! I love this sandbox, mom." Tucker called the beach the sandbox and it actually made him more fond of going. I guess he needs to see things on his terms!!!

The dads digging with the kiddos. Glenn is quite the artist and made an elephant carving when it was all said and done. It was the place for walkers to stop and take family pictures!!! Quite impressive...

The parentals enjoying the waves. Thanks mom and dad for an amazing week at the beach! You guys are awesome!!!!

One of many amazing sunsets on the beach. We actually saw dolphins one night while watching. What a gift from our Creator to remind us of His power and grace to us!!

Matt, Noah, Jen, Taylor, and Tucker Gurney

Bailey, Glenn, Amy, Girl #3, and Jenny LaRue

brothers snuggled up after a long day on the beach

The whole gang outside of King Neptunes Seafood...my favorite meal of the week!!

The only way to get these kiddos to smile for atleast some of the pictures was to promis them a goofy picture...here it is!!!

The Dads of the group!!

The moms of the group!!

Katie Martin and her precious boys came to Winchester for a few days while our husbands were on youth trips. Ed is gone for 10 days and Matt is gone to Student Life Camp for only 5, but it was a great way for us to keep busy and have fun catching up and seeing our FOUR BOYS play together. Here are some pics that somewhat capture the excitement and non-stop energy that went on over the last 4 days!!!

Micah using his muscles to push Tucker up the hill. What a life, Tucker!!

Here the gang is at the famous Winchester Mexican Restaurant. Noah looks alittle drugged from either the chips and salsa or the Spanish TV show he could not keep his eyes off of!!

Micah and Noah enjoying the "make-shift" pool. What hilarious boys!!!

The older and younger...it was interesting and cool to see Noah's natural instinct to take care of Caleb...maybe a sign for the fall, right?!

Intense stares on the Diego episodes!!! I think this was the only time that Micah, Tucker, and Noah sat still! Good breaks for pregnant moms!!!

Oh my word!!! Can't get enough of these handsome grins! Need I remind you that you are looking at 4 boys ages 4,3,2, and 1!!!!

Look at the goofyness coming from these Youth Minister boys!!! Do expect any difference??! They definitely take after their dads!!!

Taylor G!!!

Good doctor's appointment this morning!!! I had to do the glucose testing thing so that's never fun, but other than that just a routine checkup. My doctor did tell me today that SURPRISE Taylor's measuring on the "big side." OK, so who's really surprised...she may be a girl, but she's still a Gurney and that just seems to be the way babies come around here!!! I haven't gained as much weight so far (although I'm still getting those lovely, encouraging comments from people like "Wow, are you sure you're not having twins!" or "Man, I guess she's going to be a big girl") so we're just hoping for dropping a few ounces from big bro Tucker would be nice (please no where near Noah's weight!!!). He was 9 lb. 11 oz....our small baby!! I'm scheduled for an ultrasound with my next visit on July 20th to check Taylor's measurements. Seriously, this all sounds too familiar, but atleast I'm not freaking out, right!!

Beach Trip...#2

Well, it's Friday and our last full day at the beach. We've had a blast!!!! What a relaxful (in its own special way with 6 adults and 4 kids) week here in Gulf Shores with perfect weather and fabulous company! The kiddos have loved the sand, warmed up to the idea of the ocean and actually rode some waves yesterday, learned to go under water and do a little swimming in the pool, rode the tram, and played a little Wii. It's been so fun to watch them!!! The adults have sunned (a lot for some and a little for others), eaten seafood, played games til the early morning, admired dolphins and stingrays, and just loved being away from work and "real life." Pictures will be posted soon.

From the beach...#1

Here we are in Gulf Shores, AL and having a blast!!! This will be a short post...fam is about to play a game...but a post none the less. We had a great time in MS fishing, playing in the fountain, and just enjoying family. We've been on the beach 3 days now and everyone's monitored their sun intake well except for Jen. I was sad to take the day off today, but you better believe that tomorrow I'll be out again!!! The boys are loving it in their own special way. Noah loves digging (sometimes throwing) in the sand, but will play in the ocean some. Tucker has to be convinced to go out everyday, but likes it okay once he's there...not fond of the "big water." How fun to just watch them! The place my parents got for us is fabulous and has withstood the confusion and chaos so far. Seafood dinner was memorable last night at Lulu's (Jimmy Buffet's sister's restaurant). We've seen two beauiful sunsets and saw dolphins swimming tonight!!! I can't post pictures from here, but will put some up when we get home. There's your update for now...

Pictures of the Boys!

The Gurney boys enjoying Summer Days in Winchester!!! We just got their haircut for the summer. Don't they look so big and grown up!!

Noah LOVES the slip-n-slide!!! It's so fun to watch him master the Superman dive! Dad had to show him how first, which was hilarious b/c Matt's pretty much the length of the slide meant for 5 year olds!!!

And then here's Tucker enjoying the water in our sandbox. I refuse to have sand in our yard (I really don't think it'll stay outside!!!). What a great pool for a boy that really isn't fond of the splashing idea just yet.

This is Noah at his Preschool Luau on the last day of school. He absolutely loved this year at school which made it much easier on us to endure such a hard schedule and responsibility.

Summer is Here!!!

So here I am back on the blog again. I officially survived and completed my year as a full-time preschool teacher last Thursday!!! Now it's time to do and be ALL those things I said I would do and be once I wasn't teaching anymore. Blogging being on the list. Man, am I excited that this year is over. It was an incredible experience and I did love teaching those precious 4 year olds, but it was so stretching and trying for our whole family. Matt and I are so glad it's behind us and overwelmed to look back and see what God had in mind putting that on my/our plate...finances is just one reason.
With the summer upon us, I've scheduled 9 piano students (some new and some from the Spring) for summer lessons that I'll teach on Thursdays. I already have 11 new students signed up for the Fall to teach at the school where I taught last year! Again, overwelmed by God's provision beyond imagination...should I be, really? The Gurney Gang is headed to the beach in Gulf Shores, AL this Thursday for 10 days (MS for 3 and beach for 7) with my parents and sister's family!! We're so excited. We'll come back to a week of VBS, Matt will go to Student Life Camp with the youth, and then a week for Noah's SOCCER CAMP!!! Oh my word, we're so pumped. Noah is so excited! He says soccer is his favorite sport right now, but the boy has incredible natural ability for all sports. Anyway, with this camp he got a free official soccer jersey in the mail. Can't believe we didn't take a picture, but when he got it the expression on his face was unbelieveable!!! We'll have a few days of down time (whatever that means) and then the boys will go to MS for a week while Matt and I go on a youth mission trip to Chicago. So the back drop of it all is obviously that I'm pregnant (never said I'd be during the summer) and 16 weeks away from Taylor Giles making her appearance. That's our summer in a nutshell and we can't wait!!!

We are still here

Sorry it has been so long since we have posted. I did include some new pictures of the boys. Life is crazy in student ministry as so many of you know. Jen is really feeling the pregnancy tireds and nausea here in week 10/11. Hopefully only a couple more weeks of this. But she is still running and doing aerobics once a week. She is still teaching 4 year olds 5 days a week and does piano lessons on Tuesday and Thursday. We are rolling into tennis season where I am the assistant coach for the high school here in Winchester. That will add more to an already overcrowded plate. Student ministry is going well. Doesn't seem like anywhere else in the church is though. We had a great weekend with students this past one. Mike Shelton came and spoke and we had a great band lead our music all weekend. Students responded very positively about what they learned and how much fun they had. We pray that God will use this in their lives to help them make an impact in the church and to their friends that don't know Jesus. Noah and Tucker continue to just keep growing and learning. Noah can't stop asking "why?" Tucker is lovingly called Destructo for his always curious and sometimes destructive interest level in everything that is not a toy. Baby G3 is tentatively scheduled to arrive on September 19. We go back to the doctor on the 26th of this month. We will also be at a youth ministry conference in Columbus, OH right after that for 5 days. So that's what's been going on with us. We will put up stuff more regularly as it happens. We miss all you guys so much and hope things are going well with you.

Happy 2009!!!!

So Matt's comment over the past few days about another year ending and a new one beginning has been that this year would not be a year of "I don't knows." As most of you know and have been praying for us, this past year has been very challenging in a variety of ways and levels. There have definitely been a list of uncertainties in the past twelve months: from jobs to houses to life/death, etc. We are so thankful for all the obstacles because we can see how the Lord has shown us more of Himself and increased our desire and desparation for His word. We truly know that HE IS ALL WE NEED!! With it being the most difficult year that we think we've faced there is so much to be thankful for. In the valley we see Him bigger and better!!! Love you guys and Happy New Year!!!!