Christmas Pics

Here are Christmas Pics that my mom got taken at Wal-Mart. The reason why mark isn't in them & he didn't take them is because he was in NYC for Grad School. Enjoy!

An Official Update!

Well, It's been so hard with dial-up to post stuff, but I'm at Mark's work where they have wireless - so here goes some pics.
Mark & I at Ichthus in Wilmore, KY - just a couple months before I had Brayden
Me the day I had Brayden.
Me & Snoopy!
Mommy & Daddy on one of their first dates - Relient K & Switchfoot Concert!!! Relient K did an awesome song about The Office theme song included - Jim & Pam's got me glued to my television too!
Brayden "Big Boy" Brendel Brayden does not like to lay down either sit up or stand up like a big boy, but this when he needed ome support.
I love Poppy!
My photographer, Aunt Amanda!

Aunt Erica & Uncle Aaron too!
Grandma Lori came down too!
Grandma Kathy, Poppy, Mommy, Daddy, & Brayden
Nice Family Pic after Baby Dedication - 10/21/07
My friend, Hayden Smock got dedicated too! See him with his family and Mommy - Charity (Jones) & Chris Smock.
Baby Dedication

Daddy & Brayden feel asleep after too much fun!

I like talking to My Fishy Friends

one of my fav's - Daddy's Lap

Brayden's First Fall Festival

Papaw Joe Edwards & Brayden

Mamaw Faye Edwards & Brayden

No pictures please

Smiling at Grandma Lori at Baby Dedication

Baby Dedication
Brayden & Hayden @ the Ball Park!
The B Man

Brayden & Hayden (They were born about 2 1/2 weeks apart)




Me, Dr. Brown, & Brayden --- I had Brayden C-section.

Somewhat of an update

Ok so it's been forever since I posted. It's hard to post pics when you have dial-up. So maybe sometime I'll post some later..but you can check out Brayden's..he has new pics. There is only one person that I know who is awesome at posting..and that is Brooke West. She's amazing at it! Well, update I have is that Brayden rolled over from his belly to his back only for Grandma Kathy & Poppy..not for us despite our efforts. Brayden will seriously "talk" for like 5 min. straight just to hear himself...we think. He talks to his bottle...us..his toys...it's quite funny! Brayden eats cereal with a spoon! He is 4 months today! He's getting big, but he's still small. His next dr. appt. is on the 21st so we will see. Well, He's getting fussy 'cause he's tired. Gotta go!
Love,
Nikki

I hate wasps & spiders!

I really don't know why God invented this frightening creatures, I'm sure He had a plan. Well, yesterday just when I was about to snooze a little while Brayden was snoozing in his swing...I heard a buzz! I looked up...oh my goodness...a wasp! How did that get in my apt?! Then I thought about how my mom was just in town and goes out to the balcony to smoke and it might have got in that way. Well, I called Mark all scared and ofcourse he couldn't do anything because he was at work. So, I grabbed my Anthem Benefits booklet --it's think. I don't really care for Anthem, but they helped on this one! :) Anyway, ...Wack! I got it. It was still twitching. So, I opened up the patio door to try to fling it outside only to see what I thought was a brown reclus spider...later after Mark seen it he said it wasn't. Anyway, I thought that is it! I'm bringing on the Raid! Mark really doesn't want me spraying it in the house eventhough it says for household use. He's just looking out for Brayden. Since I still had the patio door open I sprayed the spider and still twitching wasp. Finally, they were dead! Then I went to close the patio door and in came a fly. I thought oh well, just a fly and shut the door. Then, I go back to the couch to try to nap...and buzz buzz...oh it's just the peske fly... buzz buzz...ok fly you are really starting to annoy me...oh my! Not a fly...another wasp! How in the heck did two get in here?! Well, I call back Mark and he said to leave the apt. Well, it was 4 and Mark gets home at 5:30pm. So, where am I going to go? So, I called a lot of friends on the eastside and finally got a hold someone. I didn't want to drive to the westside or mt. vernon 'cause as soon as I would get there I would just turn around and come home. So, I got a hold of Kent & Katrina Starnes. They said it was cool for me to come over and then they invited Mark to come over after he got off of work for dinner...how awesome was that! Here we are imposing on their family and they opened up their home and food! We are blessed with having them as good friends. And here I was just thinking...I really don't have girlfriends...well, I do, but not a 1 BF here in E'ville. I thought that one of my friends was starting to get that way, but it doesn't seem like that anymore. I'm not sure what happened with us..it's just different. I wish we could hang out more, but she's busy a lot and if she's not busy she's with her Boyfriend, but I miss hanging out with them both and also our girl times. Oh well. I just really wish that I was one BF down here to go to in time of need and know that they will be there no matter what. But since my Indy / Childhood BF's live in 3 diff. states and my BF that was down here went to Bible School in MI--I have felt a little lonely. All girls need that 1 girl to go to no matter what! I am going to pray that God will bring someone to me 'cause I feel like I've been searching ever since Laura B. left and I need God to bring her to me.

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday Robin! You are such a great friend and I miss you lots! I hope you have a great birthday today! Here's the Happy Birthday song in French (w/o the accents-my comp can't do them)...
Bonne Anniversaire a toi
Bonne Anniversaire a toi
Bonne Anniversaire cher Robin
Bonne Anniversaire a toi
cha cha cha!

Poem from my Markey!

Mark wrote this for me when I was in Hawaii for my Mom & Turk's wedding. I could check my e-mail and stuff while I was there plus we talked on the phone every night for at least 5 min. 'cause he was at grad school in Scranton, PA. Well here it is, it made me cry 'cause he's so sweet! I'm so glad I married my soulmate!

I wrote this last night when I was thinking about you. If it seems cryptic, sorry. I like it though! Love you!!


She Likes The Color Purple


She likes the color purple,
and violet opens her eyes.

Yellow her hair shown as a child,
witness to a golden smile.

Blue found her eyes
when they opened for the first time,
and has never left.

Green is the life she found
when she asked red to be placed
over the door of her heart.

An orange horizon heard her say yes
when one knee wasn't enough for me.

Black made spots on the chronicle of her past,
but forgiveness has washed that color away.

Grey was inflicted on her long ago
when brighter hues should have been sown instead,
but her spirit wouldn't let that color stay.

On the day she wore white for me,
her full spectrum caressed my heart
and still shines today.

Thanks for the color you paint into my life! I miss you!
Markus

Wrote 7/13/07

New Addition

Ok...so I haven't wrote on here in a long long time...but I have no time. New news...I had my son early..here's the story with not as much detail as you would get if I actually talked to you about it: Well, Brayden Israel Brendel was born on Aug. 13, 2007 ( 2 weeks, 2 days early) at 6:11pm. weighing in at 5 lbs. 11 oz. and measuring 18 1/2" long. He's very cute! Being a mommy is a handful though. I had him by c-section. I actually went in for a routine exam and ultrasound on Mon - 8/13 and the doc said the baby is measuring small so we like to induce. We said ok. She told us it would have to be at 1pm. that day - with our jaws to the floor we said ok I guess I need to call my boss and quit & call family. So, Brayden's heart rate dipped every time I had a contraction which posed a concern, so they stopped the contractions and said we have to do a C-section. We said ok, whatever it takes! With our family history, we were just happy to get a baby.

Being a mommy is difficult, but I'm learning. Any tips? I do get bored easily staying at home now, but I'm glad I can stay at home with him and not drop him off at a daycare - no offense to anyone, I just would prefer to be at home and since the Lord has blessed us with the finances to do that for atleast a year - I'm doing it. I do nap when he naps which helps, 'cause his crazy night schedule that always seems to change is driving me up the wall. First at the hospital..feed/wake-up every 4 hours, came home and it became every 3 hours, then it became every 2/12-3 hours, and is now every 2 hours. The boy eats soooo much! He came home weighing 5 lbs. 6oz., and he is now everybit of 6lbs. 2 oz. He now has a double chin and chubby cheeks...so cute! my little chunk! By the way...how come noone warned me about the explotion poopy diapers? Thankfully, I was blessed with a baby that rarely cries! Only cries when he's naked, getting a diaper changed, and cold. He gets a little fussy sometimes, but we just burp him and he's fine. Praise the Lord for that..I didn't know what I was going to do if I got a colic baby...I don't know if I would have been able to deal with it. I guess the Lord really does not give you more than you can handle. Well, it's almost feeding time so I should go. I will apologize for the length of time that will take me from now on to post pics, and blogs because since I'm a stay-at-home mommy and I have dial up internet...I'll be getting on less. The best way to reach me is my cell phone or house phone. Sorry, Erica I have yet to call you back, please try to call again I don't know your schedule so I don't know when the best time to call is. If you want to see the hospital pic of him go to www.thewomenshospital.org click on webnursery log in - nbrendel password - mnbrendel. Also, Brayden has a blog too! - thanks to his daddy! go to http://braydenisrael.blogspot.com