Welcome to California

                                   So excited to finally be in LA....ready for an adventure!

                                               
                                It was so great to have dinner with the one and only Kari!

                                                   We got to see the Hollywood sign

                                   While in Beverly Hills we saw Hilary Swank

                                      After visiting LA we went on to San Diego

                                      We stayed at the Del Coronado, "The Del"

                                               Famous spots we saw while in LA

                                     At the San Diego Zoo we saw a Hippo and a Panda

                                     While in LA, Adam saw the spot of one of his favorite shows
                                     Rob Dydrek's, "Fantasy Factory".  Its a funny, extreme sport show

                                           
                                                 Of course I had to get a picture with Shrek

At the end of May, Adam and I took a great trip to California.  Adam had to go there for business and for a conference.  I was able to go along for the fun and festivities.  We started out our trip in LA!  We saw all the "touristy" sites, Hollywood Sign, Kodak Theater, Star Walk and even went to Beverly Hills.  While we were in LA, we had dinner with our great friend Kari (who lives in LA now)!!  While having dinner we saw several "famous" people, Hilary Swank being one of them!!

After we left LA, we went on down to San Diego where Adam's conference was held.  We stayed at the famous, Del Coronado hotel, better know as "The Del".  While we were at the conference, and Adam was in meetings, I was able to go on a spouses trip to the San Diego Zoo.  It was such an amazing, beautiful zoo!  The last night of the conference we had out final dinner on the Midway.  It is the ship that my Uncle Mike flew off of when he was a pilot in Vietnam.  It was so neat and a little overwhelming to see, touch and smell a little touch of our family history!  Overall the trip was both educational and wonderfully relaxing!

Mother's Day 2012

Okay, So I know it has been a while since I have blogged so I am going to try and catch up with a few new blogs and pictures. Sorry if you have missed my blog, but this first trimester of pregnancy is hard on a girl.  This first blog is a short on about Mother's Day 2012.  Of course Mother's Day this year was extra special!  We are still so very thankful for the new little Cooler that is growing inside of me. During my journey with infertility I never dreamed I would be the mother of one child much less the mother of two!  I am so very thankful that God has blessed me with two precious little lives to raise, take care of, encourage and love.

                 
                                                Ava ready for church on Mother's Day Sunday

School Mother's Day Program 2012

                                               
                                               Ava sitting with her little friends

                               
                                             Mommy and Ava

On Thursday, I had the great privilege of celebrating Mother's Day at Ava's school.  The children did a precious program with songs and showing us some of the things they learned this year.  The most precious moment was Ava signing and singing "Jesus Loves Me"!  It reminded me again that loving God, know the truth of the Bible and being a good friend are the most important things in life!

March of Dimes Walk 2012

                                         
                                  The Cooler Family: Adam, Abbey, Ava and Baby A

On Saturday we had the joy again of participating in the March of Dimes Walk!  It was great to see some of our NICU friends and even meet new friends who have taken the preemie journey too!  The walk was around beautiful Marietta and it was a perfect, sunny day.  We are so very thankful to all who support us for the race.  Yesterday, again reminded me of what a miracle making Savior and Lord we have in our lives!  It was so fun walking beside my first miracle baby as I placed my hand over my second miracle baby!  God is great and greatly to be praised!!!
     

SURPRISE!!!

Okay so it probably not a surprise, surprise, since I did take 6th grade science!!  But WOW, we got a big surprise last night!!  The past few weeks I have been feeling a little "weird" but I figured it was just a virus or sore from starting to work out.  Finally, last night I took a test just to rule pregnancy out.  Boy was I surprised when a positive sign showed up!!  I went to the doctor today and was able to get confirmation through another test and an ultrasound.  I am currently 6 weeks and 3 days pregnant and this baby is due December 17th!   Everything looked great and I was even able to hear the heartbeat!!  We are over the moon excited about this added blessing!  "To Him who is able to do immeasurably and abundantly more then we could ever ask or imagine!!"  Please pray for Adam, Ava and I as we wait patiently for the newest addition to the Cooler Family.  Please pray that this little one will decide to stay in the whole 40 weeks!!

Ava loves a birthday party

Getting a big snuggle from B0b-Bob

Yeah, for running into Ava's school friend, Bailey


Ready, set, and jump!

Ava had a fun afternoon a her cousin, Nathan's birthday party. It was great to see family and having fun with school friends. Ava really enjoyed the two jumpies and especially had fun sliding down the big slide. Thankful for a fun day with my incredible family!

March for Babies 2012

Ava's debut into the world. She was 10 weeks early.

She weighed 2lbs and 14 ounces.

She stayed in the NICU 57 days

Today she is an energetic, happy, smart, amazing little girl

Hey, Family, Friends and Blog readers,

Adam, Ava and I will again be walking in the March of Dimes, "Walk for Babies"! The event will take place on April 28th at Marietta High School. The walk will start at 9:00 am. This year, our goal for the walk is $570. The reason I chose that amount is because Ava's stay in the NICU was 57 days. If you would be interested in walking with us or supporting us financially, you may do so at the link provided. Thank you so very much for your encouragement and support!!

http://www.marchforbabies.org/personal_page.asp?pp=3790544&ct=4&w=5208582&u=coolercrew

Celebrating Easter 2012

Giggling cousins

ERBC Easter egg hunt


Doc was the Easter Bunny

Easter Morning fun


Cooler Family Easter 2012


Ava on Easter morning

Doc and Grammy with the grand babies

We had a great Easter weekend. Ava had a great time playing with her cousins, going on a fun Easter egg hunt at Edwards Road and even had a visit from the Easter bunny!!! On Easter morning Ava wore one of Mommy's childhood dresses. It was so sweet to see her in the dress. I think she even looked cuter then I did!

One of the sweetest moments of the weekend was Ava sitting in my lap, in the ERBC gym, before the Easter egg hunt. The children's pastor, Travis was sharing the gospel in a simple way for a child to understand. Ava sat transfixed, still and in awe to the message. Even after the presentation she repeated the message a little bit to me! What made it so sweet to me was that in 1984, I sat in that same gym and listened to the gospel message presented to me. Then years later in 2012 I had my daughter sitting in my lap listening to the gospel presentation. I was overwhelmed!! This weekend reminded me of how thankful, blessed and overwhelmed of the love that God has for me!

Friend, Flower and Bird's Nest Fun

Making handprint sheep

When Ava woke up this morning, she wanted to wear her princess dress and crown


Making finger print Easter lily


Having a fun picnic with our friend Rayna



Finished the fun day with a sucker


Making bird's nest...so fun and so easy




Finished product

It was another super fun-filled day on Spring Break. We started our day by making sheep made with Ava's hand prints and cotton balls. This morning, Ava woke up and told me she wanted to put on her princess dress and wear her crown. Well of course we can do that!! After the handprint painting when then got dressed and Ava made an Easter Lily. The orange paint ended up getting on her clothes we had to change clothes for the park. We then went on to the park for play time and a picnic with Ava's school and speech therapy friend, Rayna. I love how well Ava and Rayna play together, and how cute they are together. Finally after a four hour nap (Ava must have been worn out!), we made yummy bird's nests. Why yes we Ava did have several wardrobe changes today, but having fun can be messy! It was again a wonderful day...feeling very blessed...Again!!

Crafts, carrots and climbing

Playing at the park


Making the pudding for the carrot cups

Crunching up the cookies

Making the cooksie carrot

Making the dirt cups


Completed carrot cups


Daddy said they were delicious

Making marshmallows flowers


Have a happy spring

Today for our Spring Break fun we started the day by making carrot cookies and dirt cups. I got the idea from Pinterest, even though ours turned out a little differently, they were still delicious. We then went to the park for some fun. It was so great running into one of Ava's good school friends, Kavita. Ava and Kavita are big buddies at school. After lunch and a nap, Ava and I headed to the West Cobb Aquatic to swim, which was very crowded but fun. Finally, while I was getting dinner ready Ava made a flower with paint and a marshmallow. It was a very busy day, but a very fun day! Feeling exhausted but blessed tonight!

Look what I can do!!

I am so very proud of my big girl!! For so long she was either too small or too scared to climb the little climbing wall at the park. But today she did it all by herself! When Ava was born and in the NICU I was told that she might have this and that delay. Well those "experts" didn't know that they should not tell me or my child we can not do something!! Today I was so amazed again, Ava overcoming the nay-sayers!