"Spring Break with Cousins"

Wyatt, preparing for his big move - the removal of his sister's hair bow..... 

Ahhhh - success! 

Precious little cousins..... 

Big boy Wyatt, swinging on the tire swing that Bebe made with an old tire she found in the side of the road in South Carolina! We were out walking one day in SC where we used to live, and she found this old tire and thought it would make a perfect swing. We went back to get the car, and she loaded it up in her trunk and brought it from SC to AL - and it is perfect!  I love my mom!  She wastes NOTHING and I love her for that! 

Elijah Brooks pushing his cousins in the wagon....  This kid is strong. 

EB pushing the tire swing.... 

Last week, my sister and her 2 precious children came to visit for several days.  Her kids are 4 and 20 months - in fact, Bradford (who we affectionately call, "Miss B") is only about 3 months older than Elijah Brooks.  Wyatt is 4 and he absolutely loves Elijah Brooks!  While he is not always gentle with his own sister, he is especially gentle with Elijah Brooks. It really is so sweet to watch them interact. My sister and I have always been close, but now that we have walked through growing up, dating, engagement, marriage, infertility, miscarriages, pregnancies, deliveries, and child rearing with each other, we are even more close than we were.  We actually got to go on a "date" together too!  We went to dinner alone (no kids and no husbands), ate ourselves sick, caught up on life without being interrupted, and then went shopping. It was such a wonderful night and I will treasure that time with her forever. She and I have decided that we need to go away for a few nights together so that we can actually work on our baby albums - which neither of us have had time to do!  We figure the only way it's going to happen is if we go somewhere else alone. At dinner we noticed that we talked about everything under the sun, but we still found ourselves not able to finish one conversation before starting another one. We decided that we are just so used to having to bounce back and forth between conversations, never being able to finish one on the phone because of toddlers under our feet, or on the table, or in the toilet - or anywhere else a toddler might be found!  I am blessed beyond anything I deserve to have the amazing sister that I have. Sure, we fought like any sibling pair did growing up, but she would have done anything and everything to protect me growing up - and she did.  She beat a dog off off me with a stick, and she pretty much beat up some stalker boy in high school who was after her little sister!!  Those are just a few times she stuck up for me - and I would do the same for her. 

I am so bummed that I didn't get a picture of she and I together on our date, but I did manage to get some pictures of the cousins playing together over Spring Break.  Funny how kids always make it into the pictures :) 

For the first time in 14 years, I now only live 1 1/2 hours away from her and I couldn't be more thankful that God has brought us closer together. 

I love you sis - and I love your precious children. 

"Bundle of Joy"

This is a BIG "NO,NO" at our house, but I happened to have my camera with me, so I snapped the pic and then immediately got him down. He is climbing on everything now - everything. 

Who doesn't want to drive their car with a baseball in their lap? 

Sweet smiles from a sweet boy 

I think he likes spaghetti.... 

All done! 

"Ordination Picture"

It was pretty difficult to take pictures during Ordination, but we managed to at least get 1 taken afterwards. We were all exhausted (especially EB, who had been going strong and it was WAAAAY past his bedtime), but here we are. Still can't believe that's my husband - in a ministerial robe. He's so handsome. 

"Random Beach Pics"

So excited to be going to the beach!  He loves putting his blankets on his head. 

Beautiful baby boy. 

Investigating a seashell 

Gorgeous sunrise 

Hanging out on the "big" bed 

Swimming with Daddy - heated pool :) 

Yes, the sky was really this blue.... 

Dancing in the sand 

Blowing kisses - sweet boy. 

"Pictures with Mommy and Daddy"

Picking up shells with Daddy 

Mommy and her boy at sunset 

LOVE this man! 

"Skipping" shells with Daddy 

"Enjoying Ice Cream"

We don't eat much ice cream at our house so this was really a treat for him. As you can tell from the pictures, he enjoyed himself quite a bit.  Ahhhh - gotta love vacation! 

"SEAGULLS"!!

I LOVE these pictures!  These pictures really don't even do it justice. I can't explain how many seagulls there were and how close they were to Elijah Brooks. There was a lady on the beach feeing french fries to the seagulls. There were at least 50 + swarming her. There were a few other children who were watching cautiously from the sidelines. My child however, took off running right into the middle of them. He just stood there jumping up and down squealing!  I thought he would be terrified - I was on my knees in front of him and they were flapping all around me - alittle too close for comfort for myself. These birds were STARVING!  It's still winter afterall. Elijah Brooks gathered quite an audience and had many onlookers watching the whole event. It was hysterical! 

"Beach"!

This past weekend, my sweet husband took me and Elijah Brooks to the beach for a few days. We desperately needed to get away together after the intensity of Seminary, moving etc.....   We had a wonderful time - the weather was perfect (alittle cold, but the sky was crystal clear), our condo was beautiful, and the food was delicious. We realized that this was our 1st vacation together, just the 3 of us.  The only thing that would have made it more perfect was if Elijah Brooks had slept better while we were there.  He hasn't traveled much, so sleeping in his pack n' play in a strange house not knowing where we were rocked his world just alittle bit. And in turn, mommy did ALOT of rocking him.  Oh course, the night we got back home he slept 12 hours - he was just so happy to be back in his own bed. But, all is well and we survived and God gave us the strength, energy and patience that we needed to still have a fabulous time just being together. I told Jay that even being completely sleep-deprived, it was still so good to have a change of scenery. EB loved the sand, the water, throwing seashells, swimming in the heated pool, playing with his trucks, eating ice cream, blowing kisses to everyone he saw on the beach, chasing seagulls, and just being his happy little self. The only thing he didn't like was sleeping!  A dear lady in our church offered us her oceanfront condo to stay in for a few days and we are so thankful for her generosity. It was just what we needed and we definitely plan to return this summer. 

Pictures to come! 

"New Kicks"...

I finally broke down and bought EB his very 1st pair of "running" shoes this weekend. Since he is literally running everywhere now, I thought it only appropriate.  He loves them! Maybe it's just me, but I think he actually runs faster now :) 

Oh, and happy 16 months baby boy!  I will do an update soon. 

"A Whole New World"....

We have entered into a whole new world as of this past Sunday evening.  I sat in our sanctuary, amongst friends and family who had driven or flown miles and miles to witness my husband take his vows of ministry before God and man. It was truly the most humbling and awe-inspiring hour of my life. Just as the vows of marriage are holy and sacred, there was something about watching Jay stand before God and several of the most influential and Godly pastors today that made me tremble.  The vows I heard my husband take were some of the most powerful words I have ever heard uttered. Oh, the responsibility that is now his to rightly divide the Word of God. I am still trying to process it all. I truly felt as if I was standing on holy ground for that hour. God Himself came down from Heaven and dwelt among His people in His sanctuary. I have never felt the presence of God as powerful as I did during that service. It was convicting, challenging, encouraging, beautiful, and oh so humbling. 

Would you all commit to pray for this Pastor and his family? We know that the enemy roars like a lion, waiting to devour Godly men and their families. 

Blessings to you all this night.