Summer Catch-Up

We’ve had such a fun (and BUSY) summer that I haven’t taken time to post in a while. Here are a few highlights…

Father’s Day: We spent Father’s Day at home this year because we’d just gotten back from the beach. But I can’t let this opportunity pass to say how thankful we are for our dads. We have been blessed with two of the most patient, wise, loving, and Godly fathers. They live their lives (and always have) in a way that sets the standards high for their family, and they always put their children’s needs before their own. And I am so thankful for Jeff and the awesome dad he is to M and M. So often I get comments about what a wonderful Daddy he is. I knew he’d be a great Daddy, so I’m not surprised. I love getting to see him in his element—loving and taking care of others. He has such a special place in his heart for his children, and he is incredibly dedicated to them. Best of all, it is obvious on a daily basis how much he loves M and M, and I am thankful beyond words for that. No wonder he’s the favorite parent…

Jeff’s birthday: Some neighbors came over and helped us celebrate Jeff’s 28^th birthday. I cooked his favorite meal (Pizza Hut pasta and breadsticks)J, and we celebrated by eating cake and embarrassing him with the “Happy Birthday” song (He can’t stand having this sung to him). It was a fun day celebrating a wonderful person!

Our 6^th anniversary!: I’ve bragged on Jeff plenty above but have to say again how BLESSED I am to be married to this man. I can’t believe it’s been six years already. (I've posted various wedding pictures the past couple of years--here and here--but below is one of Jeff's favorites...)

Baseball games and cousins: We’ve gotten to go to a few of our nephews’ baseball games. It is so fun watching them grow up, and I can’t believe what little studs they are on the baseball field! We got to have Landon spend an afternoon with us and Jackson spend the night with us, and our kids were beside themselves with excitement. They love their cousins. (We've also enjoyed getting to see their little baby doll brother Camden, who has to be one of the best babies ever.) (Below is a picture of Maggie and Jackson, who both chose to wear footed PJ's in June...ha!)

AND, my sister Candace’s family just moved to Georgia this week! They lived near Little Rock, Arkansas (about a day’s drive from here), for years and then moved to Arizona last fall. I was secretly (or not-so-secretly?) bummed to have them move all the way across the country but knew they needed to do what was best for their family. But I am thrilled to have them close-by now (just a 3.5-hour drive, I think) and can’t wait to meet their newest addition, Wilson!

I’ve probably forgotten plenty, but I’ll post as I remember. Hope everyone is having a good summer and staying cool in the blazing heat…

Beach Trip (Picture Overload)

We took a beach trip this past week and had such a fun time! This was the first "real" vacation we've taken with M&M. I don't know what it is about being away together as a family, but it was just such a sweet experience. Yes, there was lots of bickering between the kids (not the adults, I promise), but it brought us so much closer and was really the refresher we needed.

We spent a good bit of time at the beach and the condo's pool (It was so cool...It had a place just the right size for the kids), but we also covered a lot of other ground. Here are some pictures...

Miller getting ready to go to the pool...What a stud! 

 Maggie was so good in the restaurants, and we learned that she loves crab claws. Who knew?

 I told my mom I let the kids ride the ferris wheel, and she said she was going to have DHR take them away from me. Eh, they had fun. ;-)

 Maggie has wanted to do this bungee cord thing for forever (They have one at the Galleria and she asks every time we go), and we finally let her. She flipped several times, and I think my heart stopped every time she went up in the air. She had fun and begged to do it again. (Maybe later!)

 We went to the zoo, and it was so neat. The animals were lively...We got to watch two tigers fight, and Miller LOVED feeding the farm animals.

 This is how Miller played every hole during putt-putt. He putted from an inch beside the hole. Smart boy if you ask me!

 Maggie got a kick out of being eaten by the shark at Sharky's! Can you tell?

This little lady was very competitive during putt-putt. I wonder where she got that quality... 

 This picture wasn't even posed...promise. They really do love each other. I love watching their sibling relationship develop. They can be bickering one minute and holding hands the next.

And here are some family beach pictures...sorry for the picture overload. Hey, there were 404!

From the Mouths of M & M

Maggie's prayer a few nights ago before bed: "Thank you for me, Mommy, Daddy, and Miller. Thank you also for our friends. We love them. We liked Lane's party today. Thank you also that we played at Daddy's school a little. We liked that too. We bless you. We love your love. Amen."

Ha!
 
Miller told Jeff during prayers that same night that Jesus is not a pirate, that he likes our eggs, and then he proceeded to pray for juice and eggs. Oh, dear. He'll get it one day.

Also funny (and a little sad on my part)...Maggie's preschool did an interview with all the children about their mothers and made a booklet of their answers (such a cute idea). I don't have it in front of me right now, but I will say that according to Mags, I am kind of short, I like to watch Maggie and Miller while they watch TV, and I like to check my messages on my phone a lot. Such a proud moment for me...:-)

When they are not arguing with each other (and sometimes when they are), these children crack me up!

Mother's Day

This post has been a few days in coming because I have so much to say on the topic of being a mother, and I’m just not quite sure how to say it.

I will say that from my short time as a mother, I realize more and more that it is such an emotional experience. There’s nothing quite like it. The feelings of joy, pride, and LOVE (mixed in with a million other emotions) are so intense, yet so simple.

I surely hope that one day, my children will think of me the way I think of my own mother (and Jeff’s). I could go on and on about our mothers…about the strength, selflessness, and wisdom they possess—about the love they have for their children no matter the circumstance.

When I say how blessed I am to be a mother to Maggie and Miller, those are not empty words. I mean them from the bottom of my heart and so much so that I end up sobbing like a baby when I realize just how true they are.

I love this stage of motherhood, where I can fix the biggest problems in their world with a hug and a kiss. I wish I could always do that for them.

I just hope they always know how happy I am to be their mother.

Here are some pictures from Mother’s Day weekend and the past few days…

Our God is an Awesome God

Maggie came home from school singing this last week. They are working on it for their end-of-the-year program, and she said it's her favorite song (and then proceeded to say, "Mommy, why does that make you cry?").
I love how God uses His little ones as reminders.

Easter

We had a wonderful time spending Saturday and Sunday afternoon of Easter weekend with Jeff's family. Here are LOTS of pictures of the weekend...

Last Week

I have lots of pictures and updates from the past week, but first I have to say that I am so heartbroken for the many people who have lost family members, friends, and homes during the terrible storms last week.

Our neighbors Margaret and Colby came over to our house the night of the storms because Scott was out of town for business. We watched the weather coverage and saw the live video of the tornado that went through Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. It was truly terrifying. We were placed under two tornado warnings and spent a good bit of the evening in the master bedroom closet, but our city was spared.

We rode with the Fanchers to Pleasant Grove Friday to take some supplies to Scott's parents' church, and what we saw was more devastating than I can describe. My heart goes out to all who were affected by those storms, and my prayers go up on their behalf.