Welcome Summer!

Its finally summer! After what seemed like an eternal winter, we are happy to be spending time outside. We love our backyard... It's one of the things that sold me on our house.

It's not huge, but big enough. I love the Rose bushes, stamped concrete patio, and the fireplace. It even has a pool complete with a cute baby!

On Saturday we did some car shopping (bleh.) while friends watched C. We then had 3 couples over for a cookout and water fun. I love that these kiddos will grow up together. They are not that close in age, but play really well together. 

The girls roasting mallows.

We met some other friends after church for lunch. Miss priss was wanting to have her picture made... Spaghetti face and all!

As much fun we had this weekend, we have a few friends that are really struggling right now. Whether it's tragedy in their family, struggling marriages, infertility, or illness... It makes getting through the day tough I'm sure. I read this verse

Over the weekend and I've been praying it over these sweet friends. He really is close to the brokenhearted. How comforting!

Mothers Day

What a great weekend!

Uncle Lee came up Friday to see us since he finished finals last week. We were so happy to see him!

 Saturday morning we went to a birthday party for Caroline's best friend, Carson. 

While we were at the party... My sweet husband was building THIS...

 We had a blast with my cousin Tiffany and her kids that stayed with us Saturday night. 

And we had a wonderful service at church Sunday. My girl was so worn out from the night before she actually slept on me the whole service! I never get to hold her like that and it was the best Mother's Day gift!

Caroline and her dad made me a super cute card and coffee mug and a delicious breakfast. 

Sunday afternoon... I was sitting at our patio table watching Adam and Lee do yard work (ha!) when the wind picked up our umbrella and it came down on the table and shattered it on top of me. I wasn't hurt since the glass was tempered, but totally bummed that our table is ruined. We've only had that set for a year or so and it wasn't cheap!! 

This was the perfect weekend and it was filled with things I love most... Hosting family, playing with friends, yard work and projects, and loving on my girl. I'm so thankful for the one that calls me mom (24,456 times a day) as well as the woman I call mom. She's the most selfless person I've ever met and is a wonderful example of a great mom. 

18 months

I have a one and a half year old! 

-Caroline is wearing 12-18 month clothes. 

-I think she weighs around 25 pounds. (Total guess.)

-she repeats almost anything we say.

-she knows her whole family (grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunt) and calls them by name

- she is a great eater. She still doesn't drink milk, but loves yogurt, cheese, blueberries, mango, peas, corn, sweet potatoes, and peanut butter. She does not like avocado

- she loves Gus and is currently obsessed with walking him around the house on his leash

(Notice C in the background... She was so mad Gus was just laying down!)

-she loves being outside and riding in her wagon

- she says "amen" after praying

- her favorite book is "chicka chicka boom boom" and we read it at least twice a day

-she says please, thank you, sorry, I love you, and of course..." No."

- I love dressing her up like a little doll. She loves clothes and shoes but has started fighting the bows

-she finally has stopped crying when we drop her off in the church nursery

- little miss is really starting to have an opinion on things and is becoming more independent. She loves to run away from us. If we play outside in the front yard, she immediately starts running down the sidewalk. She also likes to feed herself. She dropped down to one nap about 2 months ago and sleeps from 12:30-4

Most days.

-my favorite thing... How you say "momma?" It's so sweet and southern and always in question form. I always answer "yes, baby?" 

Caroline,

You are the love of our lives! You are so much fun even on the "hard days." I love your independent spirit and my prayer is that God uses that to do His work. You love your grandparents and cousins and want nothing to do with us when they are around. You bring us such joy and I've been taught so much about Christ's love through being your mom. 

Love,

Momma

Easter 2014

As I lay here in bed getting ready for a new work week, I can only think about what a blessed weekend we had. We traveled "home" Thursday night since Adam had the day off Friday. I worked from home and he played golf with his dad. We took family pictures Friday afternoon. It will be an Easter miracle if we got a decent picture of the whole gang! With 4 kids, ( 2 under the age of 2) our photographer had her work cut out for her! 

Friday night we had dinner with 2 of my best friends at none other than Larry's pizza. It's the original and I can still taste the chocolate chip pizza. We ate until our bellies hurt and then headed to Brittany's and played cards. We were taking advantage of free unlimited babysitting! 

On Saturday, we slept in (it was glorious) and then met up with my dad to head to arkadelphia to watch my brother's baseball game. We took C and she had a blast running around. The weather was perfect! It's so neat watching my brother play college ball. I'm so proud of him!

We then headed back to mom and dad's for our first Easter celebration. We had a great fear, hunted eggs, dyed eggs, and had so much fun. 

C loves her uncle Lee!

Sunday morning we headed to church. Were so blessed to get to attend church with both of our families since they attend the same church! 

After church we had Easter party #2 with Adams family. We had a great day and I loved watching Caroline play with her cousins. 

I teared up this morning at church when we sang of what our Savior did on the cross. This day is what being a Christian is all about. I'm so thankful for his blood that covers my past, present, and future sin. I'm thankful that He defeated the grave! 

Working Mom: A Career Update

This past week I worked in central Arkansas. I hate being away from home, but thankful for our families who can help take care of Caroline while I work so I can take her with me! We missed Adam, but thankful we don't have to travel overnight for that long too often.

Sherri and my mom both got to spend time with Caroline and I know they loved it as much as she did. Sherri sent me this pic one morning. Can you say cheeser?! Notice the swollen eye... I had put C in bed with me because she kept crying in her crib and she fell out of the bed in the middle of the night. She was ok thankfully and the swelling went down. 

C rode dad's tractor and got to visit Joodge at work on his birthday. She LOVES her grandparents and wants nothing to do with us when they are around!

Friday before leaving for NWA we all had lunch together. I'm so thankful our parents have a good relationship and don't mind sharing C. She was in grandparent Heaven!

I am SO thankful for my job. I actually changed companies a year ago this month. Basically, when I came back from my maternity leave in January of last year, my old company didn't follow through on some things and also wanted to increase my travel. Since I was a new mom additional travel was not an option... The goal was LESS travel! Unfortunately it was time to part ways with my old employer. I hated it since overall I had a very good experience there and they did a lot for me including letting me work from home when we moved to Fayetteville. I had many friends there and did well in my career. The Lord provided the perfect opportunity and called me to take a step of faith. A competitor called at just the right time and knew my first priorty was being a mom. I was very hesitant about the change and can't imagine what would be if We hadn't trusted God! He was/is so faithful!

The change has been on the down low for the last year. Since I did go to a competitor, I had a contract in place that I have adhered to. Things actually got a little ugly once the old company found out where I'd gone but again God was faithful. My new employer has taken such good care of me even though it wasn't convienent for them. My contract is up very soon and I'm looking forward to going full speed ahead! ... And thankful I can do so as a mom and wife first. 

Happy Birthday Miller!

Last night we attended the Miller McNeil Woodruff Foundation's 3rd annual fundraiser. This party, held on Miller's birthday is a fund raiser for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which took Miller's life when he was only 87 days old. 

We heard of this family and prayed for them 3 years ago, but it wasn't until a couple from our home church went through the same horrifying disease with their daughter Briley Faith.

 I was pregnant the same time as Crystal and Briley was born just five days before Caroline. Briley went to Heaven when she was just two months old. She never even left the hospital. We mourned for the Turners. We were so sad for them, and felt very connected to them even though we had never really hung out and had only met a few times. SMA is the number one genetic killer of infants. There is no cure. It could have easily been us. 

Crystal and Josh invited us to Miller's party with them and we were so honored to join. We have been so encouraged by the Turner's faith and hope they have in Jesus. 

We took the Turners to our favorite brunch spot this morning and showed them some of our favorite spots in Fayetteville. They loved on sweet Caroline and my heart hurt thinking of their angel in Heaven that wasn't beside Caroline at the table or running around the store with her. 

We love this couple and look forward to celebrating Miller, Briley, and the strides that are being made in SMA research. 

Happy Birthday Miller!

The perfect Saturday

Today was my idea of a perfect Saturday...

-mini slept until NINE am.

- Beautiful weather that requires time outside 

- delicious breakfast at local coffee shop {Arsagas on Dickson... Possibly the best breakfast I have ever had.}

- light shopping at local boutique {yes we have matching scarves!}

- letting C run around on Old Main lawn 

- yard work/cleaned garage while C napped

- grilled hamburgers with friends

I love this cute town we live in and I love doing life with my people! I'm looking forward to relaxing tomorrow and hoping for more perfect Saturdays like today.