How did you go from this
to this
in 2.7 seconds?
Love,
Your Mom and Dad
April 28, 2011
April 22, 2011
Soccer Time!
Another soccer season has come and gone. We had a great experience this season also. The coaches were great, the boys and girls on his team were sweet, and the parents were nice/fun to be with. There were 3 boys on this team that were together last season. Two other boys plus Jacob. This season all of the kids actually played, it wasn't JUST Jacob out there. We were really glad for that as he got quite discouraged by the end of last season.
Jacob leading the pack.
Jacob and Landon break away from the crowd to get the ball down to the goal!
ummm....great job Jacob for making a goal but...it was supposed to go in the other one!
goalie
he's ready for anything that comes his way
way to block that ball!
ok - here's another one
and another block!
ugg...
and...he's the leader again
(I wasn't a proud Mom or anything!)
great game everyone!
my favorite soccer player of all time!
The Dolphins Spring 2010
April 21, 2011
Bringing Tay home
Stepping back a few weeks to get this blog caught up.
Lia and I left to see Brad & Lesha when we heard baby Tay had arrived. The day they brought her home from the hospital Mom, Dad, and I kept Trace, Trevin, and Lia occupied until the car finally pulled into the driveway. Trace & Trevin were so excited to finally have their baby sister home they could hardly contain themselves.
This is a little glimpse of how we spent the day waiting...
Driving various and sundry vehicles
eating plenty of Goldfish
generally monkeying around
and finally taking a little rest with Papa.
(These two can't breathe without the other.)
FINALLY! Tay got brought home to a house full of people who love her. Not the least of which was her brothers.
Trace & Trevin knew just what she needed as soon as she got home - read to. They brought her all kinds of books. She got quite an education from the Bearenstein Bears as soon as she came in the door!
The next day Papa and Lia get to spend a little quiet time with Tay.
And Lia contemplates weather or not she's going to have to give up her place as "Papa's Doll".
The answer is no. Papa just has two dolls now. Perfect.
The quiet time didn't last long until Tay's #1 fans come checking things out! They come bearing gifts of course. 'Cause that's what big brothers do.
One last look at Tay before we leave.
Sleep tight sweet baby girl - surrounded by a Minnie Mouse lovie from your cousin, a stuffed dog from your brothers, and more love than you'll ever know.
And one more before we leave...my favorite niece (in TX) and I.
Tay will always have an extra special place in my heart.
I will never forget the baby we lost that would be her age.
April 19, 2011
8th Anniversary
The kids and I just got back from a trip with my parents at 1:30 this morning...to say that I'm exhausted and overwhelmed is an understatement. There is much catching up to do on this blog but I didn't want today to go by without acknowledging a very important milestone in my life...another wedding anniversary. Where have the years gone? So...happy anniversary to us! We've now spent 4 years as a married couple in FL and 4 years as a married couple in TX. I wonder where we'll be 4 years from now? ;)
March 21, 2011
Newest Love
Introducing...
Tay Ladell
To say that we're all smitten is an understatement! She came into the world being much loved, not the least of which was from her brothers and cousins.
If this doesn't melt your heart...
The sweetness of this makes me cry...
Lia will never have a sister.
I hope she and Tay grow up to be great friends.
More photos from the weekend Tay was born will come later.
March 10, 2011
Mardi Gras
This past weekend our family spent a little time in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The plan was to walk around town for a bit, see the sights, then head to a friend of ours house for the night. We ended up getting there a little later in the day than planned but that worked out great as there happened to be a Mardi Gras parade that evening. It was a very family friendly parade (unlike many Mardi Gras parades) that we all had a great time watching. The kids thought catching all the beads was the coolest thing ever. Between the beads, candy, and stuffed animals, they were in "Kid Heaven". Natchitoches is where the movie "Steel Magnolias" was filmed. Just a little something you didn't know you didn't know. I think I may be the only female on the planet whose never seen it - I'm going to have to now. ;)
Just a few sights from town.
Jacob & Lia in their masks. My "King" and "Butterfly Princess".
Are they not just too cute!
It was cold that day and I hadn't packed a warm enough jacket for Jacob so he borrowed Nana's coat. Several people told us Jacob was doing a great job dressing the part of King with his "cloak" on. ;)
My babies and me.
The three "Kings" in our party.
David & I with my Mom & Dad
*nothing inappropriate was shown in the gathering of these beads!
*I got a video of the parade but no photos of the floats - WHAT was I thinking??
March 1, 2011
Us
As I look through past blog posts I see a million pictures of my kids, some of myself (thanks to Carin and her challenges), but not many of David. And certainly not many of us together. Sooo...here we are. In all of our "just chilling at home on the back porch with a couple of friends" glory.
We had a couple of friends over for hamburgers grilled outside and a game of dominoes. (I introduced you to their Mom here.) These photos are not the greatest quality as far as coloring, lighting, yadda, yadda, yadda - but they tell a story. A story about how we spent one evening just enjoying our life - it's not fancy, it gets a bit messy sometimes, but at the end of the day we have no regrets and just enjoy who we are.
Lia gets her back tickled by Clint. Much giggling ensued.
Jacob has a little fun with Adam.
On to the dominoes...David gets a little help from his best girl...
...as Clint gets help from his best little buddy.
And no matter how messy life gets, everything can be made better by a telephone call to Papa. This is an everyday occurrence at our house. She doesn't say much, but she sure does love to hear his voice. It's the highlight of her day.
I think there's a lesson here for me. Get in touch with my Heavenly Father every day, don't say much, and do a whole lot of listening.
(yes, yes, she has cuts, scrapes, bruises, and ketchup all over her - much like real life!)
On to a piano concert before bath time.
As you can see, she puts on quite a show - much like most aspects of her life.
Not to be outdone by his sister, Jacob impressed us with his strength and balancing skilz.
And that, my friends, is how we spent our Sunday evening.
February 22, 2011
Just Because...
...this makes me smile.
February 16, 2011
Empty Arms
I have no idea where to start. I guess “I hurt” would be a good place. Mentally. Emotionally. Today is the day our baby was due. Of course there will be no baby for us. I know there are others in harder situations than ours. I know others have suffered much more than we have. I know we already have two healthy, beautiful, wonderful children. I know something was wrong with our third baby or s/he wouldn’t have died. I know so many things with my head. But my heart doesn’t care. My heart only understands emotions, and right now those emotions are pretty painful. Someone wrote “The loss of an unborn child leaves no physical evidence to the rest of the world. Their smiling face and bright future are left only in the dreams and hopes of the parents. We grieve every day for what could have been. We sit at the dinner table where there could be another plate. We wish that there was one more smiling face in the family portrait. So many wonder how can you miss something you never had.” Those words are so true. The thing is, we did have that child. But it was only for a little while. And though they never left any marks in the world, they left marks in our hearts.
You never said you’re leaving,
You never said goodbye.
You were gone before I knew it,
And only God knows why.
A million times I’ve missed you,
A million times I’ve cried.
If love alone could have saved you,
You never would have died.
To some you are forgotten,
To others just part of the past;
But to me who loved and lost you,
Your love will always last.
In life I loved you dearly,
In death I love you still.
In my heart you hold a place,
That nobody could ever fill.
It broke my heart to lose you,
But you didn’t go alone.
For part of me went with you,
The day God took you home.
~Unknown
I wish instead of crying today because of the loss of our baby, I was crying for joy. For the joy of announcing the birth of our Bennett James or Presley Ann.
February 4, 2011
Outtakes - Jacob & Lia together
And finally...photos of Jacob and Lia together.
I think you'll see a trend here...
Later I decided I could have sent this one out. Oh well.
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