Monday, January 16, 2012

What a Difference Three Years Can Make

Those of you who follow Kelly's blog ( and I know most who even read my blog come over from her blog) know that today is Harper's 3rd birthday!   You know we went over to celebrate this week-end and you must know by now that I will have Nonny's view of the party to show too!!


To tell you the truth, I don't know how Kelly gets her post up so quickly.  I barely get home and upload my pictures and it still takes me a couple of days later to get a post done!  I'm slow!!


It is nearly 7 p.m. here as I am writing this and Harper was born at 7:03 on that wonderful night three years ago.  Things happened so quickly after her arrival it sometimes seems like a bad dream.....something so terrible that it didn't even make sense when those words fell out of the neonatal doctor's mouth, "She probably won't live through the night."


This is the way she looked when we were at the hospital!

BUT.........

God had plans for Miss Harper Brown Stamps!!
(1 Samuel 12:16  "Stand still and see the great thing God is about to do before your eyes.")

and.......

Here she is this week-end!!

Our whole family is still in awe of the great and mighty ways in which the Lord worked in Harper's life and also how we saw the very hand of God in action!  I hope I never get "over" it!!


So here's just a few "Nonny" pictures of our fun time celebrating her birthday!  Also enjoying the company of her other grandparents and Miss Hollis! (Who is the sweetest baby!)




Harper grabs her blanket and wants Papa to hold her and watch "Sleeping Beauty" with her!
Of course, he does exactly that!  Looks like he's kind of enthralled in the movie!  ha ha

Isn't this called "planking"???

She got a cute piggy bank in a tutu from her Aunt Linda and Uncle Bob. Plus a sack full of other goodies! 

She got a cute piano with its own microphone plus another microphone from Uncle Chris and Aunt Carrie!  Let the music flow!

Hollis thought she could sing along too!!

Harper also got a harmonica.  If her great grandpa was still alive...he would have been thrilled.  He always had several harmonicas around his house and loved to play!



We had a lot of fun at her party.  The kids all enjoy playing and then eating treats.
The parents enjoying visiting!

Our sweet friend, Caroline, came by to see us and show us her beautiful engagement ring! This beautiful  young lady has quite a story of her own of God's faithfulness!  She is a precious person!
We first met her when she and her beautiful Mother, Robin, drove to Tulsa from Texas to see us in the hospital with Harper.  We did not know them but they just felt God wanted them to come and do a prayer walk around the hospital for Harper and pray with us. I'll never forget them for that!

Since then, Caroline has moved to Arkansas, got a new teaching job, met her future husband-to-be and her parents are moving here too!  What a marvelous story of believing God!
We love you Caroline!

Loved visiting with Kelly's sweet friends, Amanda and Jennifer and their darling daughters!



The rest of these pictures are of Harper just having a BIG OLE TIME!!






We just love this baby girl so much and are so thankful for the past three years!!

"Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things; things planned long ago."
Isaiah 25:1













21 comments:

Mallorie said...

What a fun weekend!!! :-) I loved all of your Nonny pictures! When I was Harpers age I got a harmonica too...my parents got hours of entertainment out of that! I would just run around the house playing it! I know you will love watching Harper have fun with all of her musical instruments! :-)

Kimberley said...

I stumbled upon Kelly's blog a few months before she had Harper. I recognized her from when I worked at the WM Home Office (97-03). So I peaked at her blog from time to time to see if she had the baby. When I read she was in the NICU I was in shock. I immediately started praying and had others as well. I had to explain to people how I 'knew' her and to please pray for this sweet baby. Harper was always on my mind and I was relieved to see her go home with her parents! So happy to follow her journey 3 yrs later. :) Happy Birthday sweet Harper!

Gail said...

Happy Birthday to Harper! Looks like everyone had a great weekend celebrating! Granddaughters are wonderful, but they sure grow up fast! Thanks for sharing.

Gail
Annapolis, MD

Tara G. said...

I think it's wonderful you are so close to join in on the fun! My oldest turned nine last week and her party was this weekend, too. Our parents are a little anxious for me to get photos to them- I understand how hard it is! And I've committed to putting them in an album for our own family before sharing on my blog- a little incentive to not only keep some priorities straight, but get those projects done! :) I think the planking photo is hilarious!

dee said...

I LOVE the picture of Harper and Papa where she is "planking"! She clearly adores him. What a miracle! I also love your comment , "I hope I never get "over" it"- we should all feel this way everyday, so true! Happy Birthday, Harper!

Nancy said...

I love this post. The picture of Harper on the chair with your hubby while on the laptop is the cutest picture.
She is a MIRACLE, a happy, energetic miracle!!! Praise God!
I just read some of Caroline's blog for the first time! She is so in love & I have to start reading her blog....so cute!

Chelsa said...

The "planking" comment cracked me up! :)

jenn said...

You are the best Nonny!! Harper is such a sweetie! Looks like she had fun at her birthday party! LOVE the owl cookies and theme! Cracking up over Papa trying to type on the computer and Harper wanting some attention!!

Rebecca said...

Judy,
So glad you posted all these fun pictures! We share the love for our precious grandbabies! : ) Wanted to tell you though, the picture of you on Kelly's blog in the scarf was so lovely! You look stunning!
Your story with Harper brings back memories of our little B~nothing like Harper's stay, but he did stay in the NICU for 8 days with respiratory distress, it was awful!
Praising God for healthy happy kids today with you!

Mallory said...

Harper the miracle baby! In more ways than one! :) Can't believe she's 3, but what a fun day she had! So glad y'all got to be there to celebrate!

Anonymous said...

Harper is just beautiful. Truly a miracle baby!

Kelley said...

Happy Birthday to a beautiful 3 year old! She is so precious! I love that Kelly says she is sugar and spice. I can relate to that with my oldest daughter. Your pictures are wonderful!

Judy said...

I loved reading your point of view of your sweet grandbaby's birthday!! what a blessing! I look forward to being a Grammy someday! (both of our kids are married,so hopefully not too many years...)

Melanie Keffer said...

Amen and amen all over town! :) We recently witnessed a death of someone close involved in a criminal situation. All that went through my mind was how much God is to be feared, how He means what He says, how He hates sin and how truly wonderful He is that He keeps His children from the evil in this world!!

He is wonderful!! I am no better than the mother that lost her child to a violent crime, the difference is I know my Saviour.

When you see God's hand spare a life, such as with Harper, all you can do is praise Him because He is so wonderful, so good to His children!!

YES, I would agree He most certainly has plans for Miss Harper!! Isn't it exciting??

God bless all of you. We rejoice with you. You know, Christians are family and I think that is the reason I feel so comfortable commenting on the blog of people I have never met (ha).

Thank you again for sharing.

Melanie Keffer

Erin said...

I just loved all the pictures and hearing about Harper's birthday. My favorite picture was the one where Harper was doing the plank :0). So cute! She loves her Grandpa.

Anonymous said...

I so love Harper's relationship with her grandpa!

Linda said...

Hi Judy...I enjoyed your pictures of Harper's party! She is such a doll...and so is little Hollis. You are one blessed Nonny!

Kelly said on facebook that she is going to be an Aunt. Does that mean your sons wife is expecting? (Or does Scott have a sister or sister-in-law expecting? Just wasn't sure.

Richella Parham said...

Oh, Judy--may you never, never "get over it"! What a blessing to look back on Harper's life and see how God has had his hand on her from the very first moment. I am so grateful to God for healing her. And I am grateful that she is having the chance to be reared by such a wonderful mother and to have such a beautiful, amazing grandmother as you! God bless three generations of a wonderful family. :)

Donna said...

What a great weekend with your babies. It sure looks like Harper had a wonderful birthday. I think Kelly needs to look into those gymnastic lessons. Harper isnt one bit afraid on that balance beam. Congrats on the new grandbaby. Ya'll will be up to your ears in pink. How wonderful!!

Claire said...

Such a sweet post for a very sweet girl!

Alyssa said...

Harper is such a sweet girl! When my daughter was 3 and in her Sleeping Beauty phase, she'd make her Grampy get down on one knee and sing Once Upon a Dream to her, and he gladly did it every time! Those grandpa's are suckers for their granddaughters!