The McClure Boys

Pure Delight

2011-05-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Jacob has a way of making everything fun. We had one little rain storm and he asked for his boots and off he went. Who needs pants when you have boots??

Easter Weekend

2011-05-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend was packed full. It began with Sam's Easter party at school, where they had jellybean races, an egg hunt, and easter cake. Then, we had an Easter brunch on Saturday with an Easter egg hunt (the only place I took my camera), and our neighborhood had an Easter egg hunt at our park. Then, Sunday, we went to church and celebrated with our church family. We wrapped up the weekend by heading to my parents house for lunch and the first swim of the year (dads and kids...too cold for Amy and me!).

Easter brunch

Sam hunting

Get ready, set, go!

Jacob

Sam is ready...

Family Fun Day

2011-04-24T18:02:00.001-07:00

David and I decided to be spontaneous this week and we put the kids in the car and told them we were going somewhere fun, but didn't tell them where we were going! It was so fun to have them guessing where we were going and to surprise them with a trip to the Houston Children's Museum. We had such fun together. It is definitely a benefit to have an engineer with you when you go to places like this. We built boats, lego cars, rockets, airplanes, and parachutes. I'm so thankful to have a patient husband who really takes his time with his kids to help them understand how things work.

Jacob watching his boat

Sam pulling the water thing...not sure what this is for, but it was fun to Sam!

David and Sam getting Sam's boat ready

Sam climbing the rock wall

Jacob putting his lego car on the race track

...and Sam's car...

Jacob building another car...this one actually stayed together and made it to the finish line!

What??? A new post!!!

2011-04-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Been busy with these two precious boys. They keep me busy...and, I am enjoying the busy moments with them. Baseball. Bikes. Scooters. Climbing. Jumping. Bubbles. Running. Fun. We've been having a blast. I'm so thankful for these two little men in my life.

Jacob's 3!!!

2011-01-03T04:59:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread House

2010-12-23T05:41:00.000-08:00

Pumpkins

2010-11-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

We had a great time carving pumpkins this year. Sam's teacher gave us a little "pumpkin prayer" to do along with carving and it was really sweet. It went like this:

When carving the top: "Lord, open my mind to understand your word."

When cleaning out: "Lord, thank you that you cleanse me from my sin."

When carving the eyes: "Lord, help me see you everyday."

When carving the nose: "Lord, please forgive me for the times that I've turned my nose up at the blessings that you have given me."

When carving the mouth:"Help me tell others about your love."

When placing the candle: "Let me be a light for you."

I thought that it was a great way to get the kids to focus on the Thanksgiving season and how God provides for us!

Kindergarten Stuff

2010-10-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten is much harder than I thought it would be! We have had some challenges this year, but the Lord is so faithful. Sam really struggled with some behavior issues in the beginning of the year. It was quite humbling (humiliating) for me as a mom. He went to the principal's office. He did things that I just didn't think he would ever do. I had to learn that my identity is not in who Sam is or how he acts. I had to understand that his actions do not dictate if I am a "good" mom or a "bad" mom. I do the best that I can with the wisdom that the Lord gives me and Sam is going to make his own decisions. And, he has to face the consequences of those decisions. There have been ( and will be more ) so many times when I just don't know what to do with Sam. David encourages me that if I am walking with the Lord and ask Him to guide me, He is faithful to do it. If I obey the Lord's guidance, then I have to trust that His wisdom will be effective. James 1:2-8 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. "

Yesterday, Sam received the hugest compliment from two teachers. They said that Sam is the most improved student that they have. That he has grown so much in the last nine weeks and that they have loved watching him grow into someone who's heart is for other people. I am so grateful to the Lord for His faithfulness. It is only by His grace that there is any good in any of us. Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

I never would have appreciated a compliment like this if we hadn't had so many hard days. The good days are so much sweeter when there have been hard ones preceding them. I'm so grateful to be Sam's mom. He is tough kid. He definitely keeps me on my knees. He surely keeps me humble. Someone told me not long ago that in parenting Sam, I do not have the luxury of living far from the Lord. Oh, so true. I am so very desperate for the Lord's wisdom on a daily (hourly) basis when it comes to parenting. He is faithful to be there for me and to guide me.

Lord, help me to depend on you alone for wisdom. Thank you for giving me the amazing privilege of parenting. Help me do it the way you want me to. Help me to not take pride in good things my kids do, but to give the glory to you alone. Help me to not be shamed when they don't act like I want them to, but to pray for them to see the victory that comes with obedience. I trust you. Amen.

Fall Fun

2010-10-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

Fall is such a fun time of year. I love waking up to the temperature being in the 50s and feeling the chill in the air. I love being outside with my boys and having picnics. I love just letting them run and be boys. Jacob and I went to Town Greene park and did just that this week. We met up with some friends and rode the trolley to end our day. A perfect fall day!!

Jacob climbing on a wall...

The storybook maze....
Waiting for the trolley...
Can you tell he loves the trolley??
Jacob and Ansley sitting still (rare) on the trolley

Georgia

2010-10-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Sam got to play with David's old Star Wars toys...he was in heaven!!

Movie time in the movie room...I think we may have actually been watching College GameDay
Jacob and Murphy played a lot together. Murphy is a precious, patient dog. :)
Pure joy.

We went to visit our family in Georgia a few weeks ago. It was a whirlwind trip over a weekend and we packed as much as possible into two days! We played putt-putt, we went to Monkey Joe's, we played with toys and Sam went golfing with the men! It was full. We were also very blessed to have Uncle Matt, Aunt Meredith and their dog, Murphy join us! Meredith and I even snuck away for a quick lunch and a little shopping! We look forward to heading that way again during the holidays!

Friday nights

2010-09-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

We've started having movie/pizza night on Friday nights! It is something that the boys look so forward to it. The boys make the pizza and we get to watch the movie while eating, which is a big treat! Enjoy the pictures!

Tex

2010-09-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

*I have been wanting to write this post for a long time, but I have never been able to finish it.

We had to relieve our sweet friend, Tex, from pain on this earth two months ago. Tex was the best dog any one could have. We got Tex when he was 8 weeks old from the humane society. He was so sweet and cuddly and wonderful. We walked every single day. When I would blow dry my hair, he would bring his ball, drop it at my feet, and I would kick it...and we would do that over and over again until I was done. He was a good puppy. He didn't get into too much trouble, except that he would tear books apart when we left him. I started just leaving phone books out for him to tear up and then he stopped.

Tex taught David and me so much. I tell everyone that he taught us how to be parents. He was the first thing in our lives that really caused us to think beyond ourselves. We had to take care of him, discipline him, love him.

Tex was so great with the boys. He was tender with them from the moment that we brought Sam home. He, of course, woke them up with his barks at times, but he also let them do whatever they wanted to him. They loved to throw the ball with Tex and run with him in the backyard. There were so many times that it felt like a three-ring-circus with the boys and Tex in the backyard, but it was fun and hilarious. Sam adored Tex. Tex was one of Sam's first chores as he fed him every day. The boys used to fight over who was going to let Tex outside in the mornings...all the while, Tex was probably thinking "someone, just let me out!" He was such a good friend to the boys.

Tex was an amazing friend to me. I know it sounds insane, but I don't think I would have made it through my post partum depression if it weren't for Tex. I would sit on the floor and cry and he would just come sit in front of me and let me lay my head on his back. I would cry and cry and he would just sit there. When I was done, he'd just walk away and go lay on his bed. Tex also kept me in shape...we walked together daily and he was fast! He was always happy to see me, no matter what mood I was in or how the day had been. I miss him terribly. I never thought I could love a dog so much.

Watching him get sick was so hard. It was really fast, but really difficult. We don't know exactly what happened, but he stopped eating and could hardly walk. We tried lots of things, but the vet helped us understand that the best way to help him was to give him relief. It was one of the hardest decisions we've ever had to make.

I'm not sure when the day will come that we don't think or talk about our pup! We miss him, but know that he is running the streets of heaven and we can't wait to see him one day!!

Just Life

2010-09-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Just our little life. in our sweet little home. living it. doing our best. trusting the Lord. following Him. having fun together. loving it.

At Home with Jacob

2010-08-27T04:25:00.000-07:00

Jacob and I have been adjusting well to Sam being at school all day, everyday! In fact, I think that Jacob enjoys the time that he has all to himself. We miss Sam terribly, but it has been a sweet time for Jacob and I to have together without the constant sibling dynamics. As soon as Sam gets home from school everyday, the boys play very well together, and I think this is because they are absent from one another and miss one another.

Jacob and I have gotten into a little routine of playtime, painting, music time, clean up time, and outings. He loves, loves, loves to paint. It makes me very thankful for my shark steam mop because it gets all over the floor! We have been painting shapes this week and working on the letter "A".

Jacob is such a fun little guy. He loves to laugh and loves to have fun. If you tell him that he can't do something, he usually looks at you and says "it'd be fun, though." He's a monkey and will climb anything to see how far he can jump. He loves to be watched and to make people laugh. He is super cuddly and and I love that! I have really been enjoying my time at home with this guy!

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

We made it! Sam did so well on his first day. It was kind of a rough start because we got rear-ended on the way to school and then Sam got a paper cut as soon as he sat down. He was such a trooper about all of it and not phased one bit. When we got to school, Sam just walked right in, put his backpack away and found his desk. He had a little "connect-the-dot" assignment and he started working on that. He went and played with some friends as soon as he was done. We had some math and handwriting homework to do over the summer and he was very anxious to give that to his teacher because he worked so hard on it. I let Sam know that I was going to leave, and he told me that he was nervous, but that he would be ok. I couldn't wait til it was time to get him and when it was time, he was all smiles! He had a great day and we are looking forward to a great year!

A Big Day

2010-08-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Sam,

Today is a big day for you! In a few minutes, you will come down the stairs and give your daddy and me a big hug. Then, your brother will follow right after you and we'll have breakfast together. We will then all get ready to take you to kindergarten! I can't believe this day is here. It seems like yesterday that I was holding a little tiny baby boy, asking the Lord to help me mother the way He wanted me to. Before you were born, I read something that said that kids spend half of their time at home during their first five years. We've had a blast these past five years, son! It is really hard for me to swallow that you will be in someone else's care more than you are in mine, but that is going to happen. It is the way it's supposed to be. I wish I could keep you as a little boy forever, but that's not normal. Growing up is, and you are doing so well at it! There are so many things that I want to let you know before you go to kindergarten. We've had these conversations a lot lately. Some of the things I want you to know, I'm not sure you understand, but that's ok.

Your dad and I love you.

You are a smart, wonderful kid.

There is nothing you can do to make us not love you.

Making straight A's is not going to make us love you more.

We want you to do your best.

We pray for you every day.

We pray for you throughout the day.

I am going to miss you (I can't tell you that right now, but I am).

Your brother is going to miss you.

You light up every room you walk into.

You are a great thinker.

You ask important questions...keep doing that.

You don't take something as truth just because someone says it...keep doing that.

You care deeply that people understand truth...keep doing that.

You don't care what people think about you...keep doing that.

It's ok to make mistakes...we will be here for you and will help you through them.

Please don't beat yourself up trying to be perfect...that's not a fun game.

We will always be proud of you.

We will always be here for you.

We will always love you.

We will always want the best for you.

You are very important.

Have fun...please don't be too serious.

Enjoy your friends.

Love learning.

We are so excited for you to start the journey of education! I can't believe it's here, but it is going to be fun. Everything with you is! I love you!

mom

Mazatlan, Mexico

2010-07-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed by a wonderful week long vacation as a family in Mazatlan, Mexico! Some dear friends of ours told us about this place. It is so beautiful and so relaxing! We stayed in a house that had three bedrooms (which means the boys each had their own room=better sleeping), a pool in the backyard, a full kitchen, and it was also within a resort. The resort has a private beach and some very fun pools! We spent most of our days like this:

7 a.m. : Mom or Dad and Sam go to get coffee from the resort

7:30 a.m.: eat breakfast

8:30 a.m. Jacob wakes up and eats breakfast

9:00 a.m. head to the beach

11:00 a.m. head to the pool

12:00 p.m. eat lunch at the pool

1:00 p.m. go back to the house and watch movies/rest

2:00 p.m.: David and Sam play golf

3:00 p.m. swim in the backyard

5:00 p.m. cook dinner aka pb&j or quesadillas, or room service

6:00 p.m. eat dinner

6:30 p.m. swim in the backyard

7:30 p.m. make and eat smores

8:00 p.m. movie night/kids crash/off to bed

It was such a fun time!

Some of my favorite things were:

Sam telling me that it is very hard to sleep in another country.

Jacob saying "hola!" to every single person we passed

Watching the boys see iguanas

Being together 24/7...which can be hard at times, but it was more fun than hard

Watching the boys play together

Having nothing to do except play

Some of my not-so-favorite things:

riding in a taxi in Mexico with a two year old...no seatbelts!

wal-mart (but I could say that about anywhere)

the gazillion birds that sang through the night. Sam said that he wished birds were not nocturnal :)

I've said this before on this blog, but I always forget how special it is to spend time just as the four of us. There is something unique about it and I want to try to make sure we do trips like this often! We are so grateful to our friends who shared their favorite place with us!

A blog on the blog

2010-07-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hello there! I have not blogged in over a month and I just hate that. I love blogging...I love reading blogs and I love getting to look back at our blog to remember little things about our family. The truth is, I just have not had time...or taken the time to blog in awhile. Right after my last blog, I went to Israel for a week, then I got home and wanted to soak in every moment with my boys. David and I then went to New York for a long weekend, David started a new job, our dog was very sick, we were planning for a big week at church before we went on a family vacation...which is where we are as I write. I don´t want to give up on the blog, but I am not sure how frequent the blogs will be for some time. Sam starts kindergarten in the fall, and I am enjoying every moment I can with him before he is in school five days a week. Jacob is in his two´s full-on. They are not terrible, just very, very busy. So, hopefully, I will have many more blogs coming! I am looking forward to blogging about the trip we are on right now.

Just a quick story on that...

We are at the beach in Mexico and I brought kites for the boys to fly. The first day that we did that, it was a big hit. The boys just loved their kites. So, the next day, we went out to do it again. After about 30 seconds, Jacob no longer had any interest in the kite and he threw it at me (see, I told you he is in his twos...). It started to kind of fly away. I started to run. I chased it up a hill (in a bathing suit, mind you) and the kite just kept flying and flying. Finally, the handle got caught in a tree right by the pool. But, there was a spiderman kite in the air and the hotel was setting up for a wedding. I was so worried that spiderman would be in the pictures for the wedding couple. A few minutes later, five hotel workers were standing around staring at the kite and finally got a ladder to get it. But, they didn´t plan very well. Instead of getting the handle, they just pulled the tree branch down and the kite flew away. I cannot tell you how embarrassed I was! Someone came and asked us for our room number and about an hour later, a sweet little man brought us the kite. We are known as the crazy Americans with the spiderman kite. Oh well, it gave them something to talk about for the day! I am just happy that spiderman did not make an appearance at the wedding!

Well, blessing to all who may actually still read this...I hope to do a better job of keeping up soon!

Five!!!

2010-05-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

My Darling Sam,

Happy Birthday! I am so proud to be your mom and so thankful that the Lord picked us for each other. You are such a special boy!

This has been a great year for you; you have learned to ride your bike, you've memorized a ton of Scripture, you've learned to read, you've learned how to be a big brother and most importantly, you've asked Jesus to be your Savior. Your dad and I are so blessed by your life.

Sam, you amaze us. You think like someone five times your age and you talk like it, too! You think about other people and how what you do will affect them. You make us laugh by the things that you say to us. You blow us away with your intellect. You love to run and to be around others. And, others love to be around you. You are a joy and a delight.

I can't wait for what this year will bring! I can't wait to live it with you. As much as I am supposed to be your teacher, I constantly learn from you, little boy! I love you!

Happy Birthday!

Mom

Fountains

2010-05-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

We have been enjoying the fountains around town lately. Jacob asks to go to them every single day and could stay for hours. He runs, jumps, splashes and laughs the whole time! It is such a delight to watch him have so much fun!

These pictures are from my precious friend, Michele... :)

Sermon on the Mound

2010-05-13T13:03:00.001-07:00

Our school had their spring program last night called "Sermon on the Mound." It was a baseball themed play about putting on the full armor of God. The kids did an amazing job! Sam's class opened the play by singing the national anthem and then "Take me out to the ball game." There is something so sweet about watching your kids perform. Sam is getting a little more comfortable on stage now!

Things that make me happy...

2010-05-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

the quiet in the mornings before everyone wakes up.

french vanilla creamer.

a blank journal page.

morning hugs from the boys.

hearing the boys laugh together.

a clean kitchen.

parks.

swimming pools.

tired boys.

bed head after naps.

phone conversations with my friends.

text messages from david.

the way the boys get so excited when david comes home from work.

dinner with my little family.

sam saying his memory verses.

jacob trying to repeat everything sam says.

noodle and boo.

pretty flowers.

cuddling.

my family under one roof.

love.

hope.

many more...

Splinters

2010-04-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

I have a lot going on in my little life right now. Enough to let my mind get in a spin if I let it. I don't have major stuff, but I have a lot of stuff. Don't we all. David is traveling a lot right now and he is far, far away. Right now he is in an airplane to come home from Australia. Before that he was in Singapore and before that he was in Brazil. I can't explain how much I miss him. How much I tear up whenever the boys do something cute and wish he were here to experience it. Or, how much I really wish he were here when the boys need some serious discipline. We have a wedding that we are in this weekend, I am going to be traveling overseas, we have a vacation planned and we have another Family Promise week coming up. We have t-ball and swim lessons and preschool performances and Sam starts kindergarten in the fall. It's just a lot when I start thinking about it all in its totality. But, I try really hard to just take one day at a time.

Sam got splinters in his feet when we went to the beach last week. So did Wesley. When Michele and I started trying to get them out of the boys, you would have thought that we were torturing them. It was almost comical. And not. It was very, very dramatic. They both had lots of them and we decided that once we got the big ones out, we would just let the little ones get out on their own. After we got back from our trip, Sam prayed every night for his splinters to come out. One day in the car, Sam was talking about his splinters and about how much Ms. Michele and I had to work to get them out. He said, "mom, you know, sometimes if we just ask God to do stuff, it is much easier. He got my splinters out without it even hurting."

I was astonished. That little boy has no idea what a concept that is. That if we just let God do His thing, it is much easier, and often, a lot less painful. I decided while I was at church this morning to just ask God to take all of my little stuff...my splinters...and help me to let Him do His thing. To help me just focus on living a life that glorifies Him and to let Him do the rest. It really is a whole lot easier that way.

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

We Went to the Beach

2010-04-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

Amanda, Michele and I headed to the beach with our kids last weekend. David is out of town and we all just needed a little time with our kids away from the daily grind. Thankfully, we were blessed by a friend to use their beach house and we had a blast! We just played in the water, played in the sand, watched movies, blew bubbles, and (kind of) slept. It was very low-key and very much needed! I am so thankful for these two friends. They are the kind of friends that you talk to multiple times a day and they know everything about me. They have seen me at my absolute worst and still love me. Life would not be nearly as fun without them in it! I cannot believe that we have known each other for five years! Being a mom is much more fun with these two moms alongside me!

Mommy Life

2010-04-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

We have had lots of changes around this house lately! Our sweet Jacob has moved into a big boy bed after learning how to climb out of his crib. David and I painted the room and converted the crib to a bed. Sam was so sweet and helped put big boy toys in Jacob's new room. Jacob has done very, very well with the adjustment. He now stays in his bed til I get him out! He is very proud of his big boy room and likes to spend lots of time in there.

In addition to this, Jacob has also entered his two's full force. He has quite a strong will and is determined to do everything by himself. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard "I did it" in a day, I'd be one rich lady. He likes to do everything from buckling himself in; to opening the door for Tex. He and his big brother gets in lots and lots of arguments over little things throughout the day and I am trying to learn to let them work things out on their own. I really don't want to be the referee mom. Jacob is also very good at throwing. We just need to make sure that it is something that he is supposed to be throwing. He may or may not have thrown an entire loaf of bread across the Cheesecake Factory and hit a lady in the back of the head. Our dear friend told us that he knows that Jacob might really be pushing us right now but it is hilarious to watch. I guess the fact that Jacob is one of the sweetest children I have ever met sugar coats the bad moments. He is just living his second year to the fullest.

I love being a mom to Sam and Jacob. There are days that are extremely difficult, but those days are usually filled with lots of "i love you's" from two of the most precious children I know. I struggle constantly with wanting to be a good mom and never feeling like I can measure up to what defines a good mom. I think that I breathe a thousand prayers a day asking for grace for the moment and wisdom for my actions. I just want to do this well. I only get one shot at it! My favorite scripture right now that I just recall over and over again throughout the day helps me to remember that the Lord gives me grace...in fact, He lets His grace abound in me so that I may abound in every good work that He has prepared for me. I so deeply desire to walk in His grace alone as a mom.

2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

A Wonderful Sunday

2010-03-28T18:23:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful day we've had! David returned home this morning at 5:00 from being gone in Brazil for a week. We were so happy to see him and got right to "normal" as fast as we could. We went to church, lunch with family and then came home to play outside. Sam has been talking all week about trying to ride his bike on two wheels, so I told him that as soon as Daddy got home, we'd try. We got home from lunch and he was ready! I honestly didn't think that he would do it, but after a couple of times, he just started riding. There is something so very special about seeing your child do something for the first time, especially when they are proud of themselves about it. We rode around our street for a couple of hours (yes, hours), and Jacob followed as best as he could on his little bike. After a little rest, we put the kids in our bike trailer and rode bikes to meet friends for dinner. Now the kids are tucked in their beds and David is so tired from a long trip and a long day! We are thankful for special days like today!

Some thoughts on Health Care Reform...

2010-03-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 32:7 "The scoundrel's methods are wicked, he makes up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just."

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. -- Thomas Jefferson

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. -- Thomas Jefferson

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. -- Thomas Jefferson

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. -- Thomas Jefferson

Go, Dog , Go!

2010-03-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite book. Why? Sam started reading. He read multiple pages from this book to us tonight. This isn't a book that we have read a lot, so I know that he doesn't have it memorized. He worked so hard to sound out the words and was so proud of himself when he would finish a sentence. I am so very proud of him!

Little League Opening Day

2010-03-12T04:41:00.000-08:00

Sam is playing Little League this year and we had our opening day. There was a parade, bouncy houses, fire trucks, bands, barbeques and a crawfish boil. It was a little more than I expected, but it was lots of fun. I think our days of spending Saturdays at the ball park are beginning! Sam is in four-year old K-ball. It is basically t-ball, but everything is miniature. It is adorable. Everything about it is cute and tiny. The field is tiny, the dugout is little, the scorebox and the players. Sam thinks it's real cool that he has a dugout to sit in with his teammates.

Rodeo

2010-03-07T15:19:00.000-08:00

Our little family spent a day this weekend at the rodeo and had such a fun time. It was the first time that we've gotten to do much of the carnival part of the rodeo and the kids could have spent forever there. It wasn't very crowded, so we did get to do more than usual. The weather was perfect for a day at the rodeo! There are lots and lots of pictures...

Sam had talked about riding the "pretend bull" all week, so that is what we did first. He was very, very nervous and had the cutest big boy look on his face. You could tell that he was so proud of himself and nervous at the same time.

The kids loved petting the bunnies and guinea pigs. I think Jacob scared the bunnies quite a bit because he was so eager.
At the rodeo, they have an area where there are eggs with chicks hatching. It is fascinating to watch. Sam talked with a farmer for a long time about the process and asked lots and lots of questions. They have the eggs numbered by the day of the month that they are supposed to hatch and of course, Sam found one that should have hatched days ago.
Jacob "roared" at the little chicks and thought that they were dinosaurs.
We did the "goliath" slide. Sam did it by himself several times and Jacob asked again and again to go down. David went with him once and I did it once. It was very fast for me and we even caught some air. Honestly, I was a little scared.
Sam also talked me into doing the "kite flyer" with him. You lay down on this ride and go up way high and around in circles. It was fun to watch Sam's face and listen to him talk about how high we were. He kept asking why he had to hold on! I just told him that he must hold on tight to the bars.
Jacob saw the airplane ride and immediately asked to go on it. He and Sam rode in a helicopter together...

They have a farm area set up where the kids get a basket and walk through the farm, filling up their basket. They start with food for the chickens and get an egg. Then, they plant a seed and harvest a plant. Next, they milk a cow. Then, they picked oranges and corn. Finally, they sell their goods at the farmer's market and earn some "money" to use in the store. Both of the boys bought a rice krispie treat with their money.

The petting zoo was Jacob's favorite. He would just run up to animals as big as himself and pet them "gentle, gentle." Jacob thought that the pigs were hilarious and Sam liked the llamas.

The pony ride was so fun! Sam and Jacob rode at the same time...

Such a big boy...

Camel riding...

We finished our time by getting some chocolate milk and cookies while we watched the cow milking demonstration.
We were planning on eating at the rodeo, but decided just to go to the original Goode Company instead. The boys were such a joy this day and we had a great family time together. We are already anticipating the next rodeo!

Park Days

2010-03-04T04:42:00.000-08:00

We have this fabulous park very close to our house where we love to spend time together as a family. It has hills and lots of places to run. It also has many trails where we go on "adventures." We spend hours there and have lots of picnics together. It is one of my favorite places...and, it helps that the boys are always worn out after we leave! I love the conversations that we have about everything while we are on our adventures. I love that Jacob wants to put every single rock he finds into his pocket. I love that Sam uses his imagination and I get to see his mind working. I love talking about the Lord with the boys while we are outside and they can see His creation. I don't necessarily love the dirt that comes with being outside, but I'll take it any day because of the time spent in the dirt.

2010-02-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

The weather has been so yucky lately, so we've been doing a lot of this....

But, today was gorgeous! So, as soon as Sam could, he got on his bike....
...and we went to the park!
So much fun!!!

We have enjoyed our unusually cold winter, but these boys are ready for spring!

Boy Mom

2010-02-23T07:20:00.000-08:00

trucks.

tractors.

trains.

wet puppy dog smell.

rocking.

rocks.

throwing rocks.

collecting rocks.

dirt.

dirt all over clothes.

haircuts.

solar system.

sharks.

dinosaurs.

happy.

three outfits a day.

hugs.

kisses.

six meals a day.

soccer.

baseball.

little league.

hockey.

pirates.

heroes.

imaginext.

fire trucks.

cuddles.

movie nights.

cars.

cinnamon popcorn.

chocolate milk.

challenges.

questions.

sweetness.

loud.

fast.

hard.

wrestling.

throwing.

basketball.

football.

big.

heavy.

tenderness.

love.

joy.

delight.

2010: Family Memory Verse 6

2010-02-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

Matthew 5:8-9

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."

Valentine's Day Package

2010-02-14T05:07:00.000-08:00

Grammie and Diddy sent a fun Valentine's Day package to the boys this week! Sam has been wanting this whale to go along with his Imaginext boat and Grammie found it! Jacob is in love with Cookie Monster, but he was more in love with the chocolate heart that they sent. :) Jacob had JUST woken up from a nap, so his hair is interesting in the pictures.

Family Promise Week

2010-02-13T13:07:00.000-08:00

This week has been so full! I wouldn't trade this week for anything in my life. It has been a lot of work, but so very worth it.

On Sunday, our church began hosting three families that are part of Family Promise. A few months back, David and I were asked to be the coordinators for our church for this program. We accepted and have been preparing for this week for a while. The three families have been living in our church for the week. Each night, a group from our church brings dinner and hangs out with the families and then we have some wonderful folks who spend the night each night with them. In the mornings, the families go to work and then get back at the church at 5:00 to have dinner and shelter. It has been an incredible experience. It's been crazy for our family; David was out of town at the beginning of the week, both kids weren't feeling well in the middle of the week, and we have been at the church every day. I feel like we've had the chance to go on a mission trip without leaving our home!

Let me tell you about these families: There is one young couple that have a 18 month old. They used to live in a trailer, but a tree fell on the trailer and they didn't have insurance, so they were without a home. They had nowhere to go, so they ended up homeless. Another family actually owns a home, but a water mane burst last month and they ended up homeless. The dad works two jobs just to get by. The other family is a single mom with four kids and she became homeless after leaving a bad situation. I am so humbled by these people who are trying very, very hard to get back on their feet and become self-sufficient.

I will be so sad when these families move on to another church next week! It has been so fun to be a part of their lives, even for a short time. I am, however, looking forward to a normal week! It seems like "normal" is becoming rare around here! I hope to do a better job at keeping up the blog in the coming weeks, but no promises. :)

2010: Family Memory Verse 5

2010-02-02T04:32:00.000-08:00

We will be doing the same memory verse as last week! David was out of town and I didn't do a great job of working on the verse with the kids.

Swim Lessons

2010-01-31T15:35:00.000-08:00

My name is Jacob and I love chocolate milk

2010-01-27T07:49:00.000-08:00

2010: Family Memory Verse 4

2010-01-27T04:43:00.000-08:00

Matthew 5:5-7

"Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

2010: Family Memory Verse 3

2010-01-19T04:33:00.000-08:00

Matthew 5:3-4

"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Driving Lessons

2010-01-16T04:51:00.001-08:00

It Doesn't Get Much Cuter Than This...

2010-01-13T12:37:00.000-08:00

2010: Family Memory Verse 2

2010-01-12T04:38:00.000-08:00

Mark 10:45

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Recent Happenings

2010-01-08T04:07:00.000-08:00

~we took Jacob's paci away...it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but I almost gave in on day two. I still let him have it when he sleeps, and when I got him up from his nap and put the paci back in the bed, his mouth turned into a frown and his chin started quivering. the third day was much easier and I think we are through that with Jacob.

~the boys are actually playing together quite a bit and I have been able to get things done around the house that I used to have to wait until bedtime to do. It is changing my life.

~Jacob is starting to talk a lot more.

~Sam has said some funny/sweet things lately: "mom, you're the best/sweetest mom I've ever had." -----"mom, let's figure out what the last number is; just go to numbers.com." ----"mom, God gave lions strong jaws, but he gave people strong minds." ----"jacob, are you going to argue with me or learn from me?" (we say that to sam a lot)-----

~the boys are really starting to eat me out of house and home. they both eat breakfast around 7:30, then eat another breakfast...like an entire bowl of oatmeal...around 9, then they want a snack around 10:30, then we eat lunch at 11:30. It boggles my mind. I have to try to not eat every time they do or I'll be as big as this house.

~David and I have been working out together every night for the past few weeks. We've only missed three days so far.

~I got a new teapot for Christmas and David and I drink a lot more hot tea than coffee now. We've always had a cup before bedtime, but now we'll have a cup just because it's cold outside multiple times a day.

~David and I finished reading through the Bible and started again at the new year. It never gets boring.

~We start a new ministry at our church next month, where we will be hosting about 4 homeless families; David and I are the coordinators for our church for this and are so honored, humbled, and excited about this ministry. David also continues to go to street church every Wednesday.

~Jacob still isn't extremely interested in toys, but is getting there. He really likes to do whatever Sam does, so if Sam is playing army, so is Jacob. If Sam is pretending to be a firefighter, so is Jacob. This is fun, and it also causes a lot of fighting because Sam is such a perfectionist and gets so upset when Jacob doesn't "do it right" and Jacob gets upset if Sam is upset. It makes my house much louder than I ever thought possible.

~We're toying with the idea of moving to a different house. It won't be for awhile, but we are beginning to think about it. The thought of moving out of my house kind of makes me sad. My house isn't perfect and there are a ton of things I'd still like to change about it, but it's my house...the house I brought my kids home to and the house that we've made so many memories in. It's a struggle for me.

~the boys start swim lessons next week! I'm so excited because it will be a way for them to get lots of energy out!

Ok, this is getting too long, but I wanted to do a little update!

2010: Family Memory Verse 1

2010-01-06T04:59:00.000-08:00

Psalm 1:1-3

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

We've been doing memory verses as a family for about the past six months. We try to do one every week and we say it together at the dinner table. David picks out a verse on Sundays and that is our verse for the week. It is quite humbling to do with a four year old...their little minds are like sponges. Sam can usually repeat the entire verse by the second night. Jacob is now starting to try and say them with us. It is our hope that these words will be hidden in our childrens' hearts. This particular verse is one of our "family verses" that we want our little family to live by.

Two

2010-01-02T04:47:00.000-08:00

Jacob is two years old today! I cannot believe how fast these past two years have flown by us. We are so very blessed by the sweet two years with our Jacob. He is such a dream and we can't imagine our life without him in it.

Dear Jacob,

Happy Birthday! Or, as you say, "happy day!!!" Son, that's how you live your life. You consider everyday happy. I can't think of a day that you woke up in a bad mood over the last two years. You may have gotten in a bad mood during the day, but you always wake up ready to live the day out. I love that about you. I love so many things about you. I love how you are so laid back and how you just take life as it comes...with the hugest smile imaginable. I love how you make everyone you meet feel like they are the most important person in the world. Since the day that you learned how to say "hi" and wave, you have said it to just about everyone you see.

I love how you adore your big brother. You call him "bruber" most of the time and ask for him as soon as you wake up everyday. You cry hysterically every time that we drop him off at school. You try to do everything that he does, and when he does something wrong, you point to the "sad spoon" and say "bruber." It makes me laugh so hard. When you do something wrong, you also tell me that you need the sad spoon (bad boon). You do not like to get into trouble. Your daddy and I can just look at you with a disappointed look and it just about tears you apart.

I love how you are all boy...ALL BOY! You run like a boy, you walk with a swagger. There is just something about you that makes you look like you are in control. You run hard, throw hard, hit hard, laugh hard, live hard. I hope you always do.

Jacob, we love you. You have made our lives better than we knew they could be. Daddy and I can't wait to see what this year holds for you. You are a joy and delight to us. It is an honor to be your parents.

Love,

Mom

Christmas Morning

2009-12-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Everything Ready for the boys to come downstairs....

Sam seeing his surprise

Jacob loving his surprise

Birthday Cake for Jesus

2009-12-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

We made Jesus' birthday cake on Christmas day and sang happy birthday! We made a red layer to symbolize the blood of Jesus and a green layer to symbolize the eternal life that He gives us. The icing was yellow to symbolize His light. What a fun memory!

He's Waiting

2009-12-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas Play

2009-12-19T13:08:00.001-08:00

Sam had his first Christmas play this week! He was the "cow" in the manger and he did so well. He has been practicing "Away in a Manger" for weeks. Right before I left him with his teacher, he told me that he was "a little nervous," but he did wonderful! It was so very precious when he got on stage; he would only look at David and me the whole time that he sang. We are so proud of him!

2009-12-15T13:22:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to write this down for awhile, but don't know how to say all that I want to and don't want to sound anything except for what we are, so bear with me.

The last three months have been the hardest three months of our lives. Even in saying that, I know that there is so much more suffering that goes on in the world than what goes on in our little world, but we all have our individual paths that the Lord leads us on. I've even said to the Lord, "I know there is so much bigger stuff in the world, but this is huge in my little world." I think He understands that.

I literally am not able to divulge the details of our journey for a lot of reasons. First, legally. Second, most of them are boring and distracting from the purpose of the trial we have endured. Basically, we have been betrayed, stabbed in the back, kicked in the stomach, lied to, stolen from and hurt by people we considered friends.

The reason I am writing all of this down is to remember that the Lord truly is a strong tower for His children. My dated reading...not what I sought out to read, but what was dated for October 30, 2009 was pointed exactly to what we were going through. Every single day, it was that way. I am not kidding. I had about 10 quiet times per day for the first couple of weeks that we were going through this and His word is truly alive and everything to me. As the psalmist says in Psalm 119...if not for His word, I would have perished during my affliction. David and I went through so many emotions...and had so many emotions. We would sit at the kitchen table every morning...just as we do every morning...and have done every morning for a long time and just weep, or fuss, or just talk. I've never felt so close to my husband and I've never been prouder of him. To watch him seek the Lord, seek counsel from Godly mentors, and continue to walk in integrity through every moment of the trial is humbling. and amazing.

I weep just sitting here thinking about all of the miracles the Lord performed for us during the past three months and how He still is. David and I have never really gone through much in our lives. We've had hard times...David more than me...but nothing so life changing and sudden as we just had. I can honestly say now that I know the Lord is real. His promises are true. He does not leave us nor forsake us. He is just. He is faithful. He is everything. His grace really is enough. I am so thankful that I have the Lord. My life would be pointless and miserable without Him. He is truly my life. The life and breath of this family. We will serve Him all the days of our life...no matter what...no matter what anyone thinks of us or says of us, we will.

I don't know what anyone is going through. If you would have seen me over the last three months, you would have thought we were fine. If you would've asked, I probably would have told you that we were going through a hard time, but you wouldn't know that it was the hardest thing we've ever gone through. I know others are going through stuff too. It is life. So, I want anyone to know that it is true that the Lord is compassionate and gracious. It is not just something nice to say to someone. It is true that He works out everything according the purpose of His will. It is true. His promises are true. He is everything.

Christmas Ornaments

2009-12-10T12:57:00.001-08:00

We made some No Bake Spice Christmas ornaments together as one of our Christmas crafts. It was a great little project for these chilly days that we are hanging out inside! Excuse how I look and the fact that I still have on my Sunday school teacher shirt...

Sam is trying to understand why I am putting glue into a recipe that we are going to put in the oven....

Sam didn't want to use his hands to mix it up, but Jacob sure did!

It helps to read the recipe...once I realized things weren't coming together, David read the recipe and found out that I didn't put a cup of cinnamon in...he saved the day!

Right out of the oven :)

Love

2009-12-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas Tree Cones

2009-12-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

My mom gave me an incredible present the year that I was pregnant with Sam called "The Adventure of Christmas" by Lisa Whelchel. It is a book that has ways to teach children about Jesus through all of the Christmas traditions. I started doing this last year with Sam and brought Jacob into it this year. My sister-in-law has been doing the crafts from this book for several years with Caleb as well! We joined together to make our Christmas tree cones and tell the kids about the first Christmas trees.

All you need is some sugar cones, green frosting and some M&Ms for the craft...

While the kids are putting the frosting on the cone, you can talk about why there are Christmas trees. Lisa has a very detailed story, but for now, I condense it for the attention span of my four year old. We talk about how the tree is a reminder of why Jesus came for us...to die for us. 1 Peter 2:24 "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness."

It is a very fun treat for the kids to eat when they are finished and a sweet way to start the Christmas season!

More Georgia Pictures

2009-12-07T19:10:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Day

2009-12-07T18:59:00.000-08:00

We had such a yummy lunch prepared by Grammie on Thanksgiving Day. She made a perfect turkey and all of the fixins to go with it. Our tummies were completely stuffed!

My very favorite part of Thanksgiving was hanging out with family that we don't get to see very often. Sam and Jacob were able to play with their cousin, Walker. As soon as Walker walked in, he and Sam disappeared into their own little world. Before we knew it, this is what they were doing...

They had a blast together...all day long. When Walker had to leave, they hugged and hugged. It was so precious!!

Fantasy In Lights

2009-12-07T18:54:00.001-08:00

Diddy and Grammie treated us to the Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens. The boys so enjoyed riding the train and seeing all of the light displays. I don't have very many great pictures from the night...sorry!

"My Eyes Are A Little Wet"

2009-12-06T17:35:00.000-08:00

It snowed on Friday and Sam got to leave school early. We met daddy and Mimi for lunch and then drove home to play in the snow. As we were driving, Sam was being unusually quiet. I asked him what he was thinking about and he said...

"the snow is so pretty, mom. my eyes are a little wet because it is so pretty, but i'm not crying. sometimes, when i am really happy, my eyes get a little wet, but it is not sad."

He melts me.

The Wonder

2009-12-05T10:34:00.001-08:00

Christmas trees.

Lights.

Apple Cider.

Presents.

Cookies.

Parties.

Songs.

Jesus.

The season of Christmas brings so much to us. We get to see the amazement in little one's eyes as they see the tree go up and see all of the houses decorated. We get excited about getting each other the perfect thing. We tell stories of Christmases before. We remember traditions that our parents gave us. Somehow, in all of this, we get used to doing all of the Christmas things. We sometimes get annoyed at how commercialized the holiday has become. And, we start going through the motions of Christmas instead of stopping.

Stopping to remember the wonder of Christmas. Jesus. The darling of heaven. He came to earth. God came to earth. For me. For you. So that we could be saved...so that we could be free. He came as a little baby and grew up without sin to die on a cross. For me. For you. It is a wonder.

So, this Christmas, I'm going to celebrate it well. I am going to join my kids and be amazed at every little thing. I want to experience it all as if it were the first time I've ever seen the beauty. My house is decorated for the birthday of the One who came to set me free. We are giving presents in honor of Him. Everything around us is to remind us of the wonder. The Wonder. The Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel.

He came to be with us so we could be with Him. It is the wonder of Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Cooper Creek

2009-12-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

This beautiful park was so much fun for the boys. We fed the ducks, Sam tried to boss the ducks, skipped rocks, gathered leaves, had sweet conversations and just enjoyed the beautiful Georgia scenery. Boys are just meant to be outside and mine enjoyed every second!

Monkey Joes

2009-12-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite places to go while we are visiting Grammie and Diddy in Georgia is Monkey Joe's. It is a play place with lots of inflatables and the kids love it and get worn out! We had the special treat of going with our Texas friends as they were visiting family in Georgia, too. When Sam and Wesley saw each other, they acted as if they hadn't seen each other in years. It was so fun to watch them play together. After Monkey Joe's, we went to fuddruckers for lunch and then back to Grammie's for naps. Thanks for so much fun, Grammie and Diddy!

A glimpse of our holiday week...

2009-11-30T04:19:00.000-08:00

Ollie

2009-11-29T04:55:00.001-08:00

We drove to Georgia for Thanksgiving, and on the way, we stopped to visit my great-grandmother. This lady is amazing. She is 93 years old and is as sharp as a tack. She is absolutely lovely and I hope that I am like her when I grow up. I thought it was quite a treat for my boys to be able to meet their great-great-grandmother. Sam asked her how old she is and when she told him, he said "wow! you're almost to 100!" Jacob mostly enjoyed pushing around a walker in her room. It was a joy to get to see her and we look forward to see her when she comes to visit for Christmas!

Spiritual Conversations with Sam

2009-11-18T10:53:00.001-08:00

Sam: Mom, why is Captain Hook bad?

Mom: well, he does bad things and he isn't nice to people; he doesn't treat others like he wants to be treated.

Sam: maybe it's because he didn't ask Jesus into his heart.

Sam: Mom, why, after Adam and Eve disobeyed God did some of the animals be bad?

Mom: well, before Adam and Eve disobeyed, there was no sin, but afterwards, people started sinning and there was badness in the world

Sam: but, mom, God washes away our sins

Mom: yes, but we have to ask Him to clean us from our sins

Sam: OH!! animals can't talk!!!

(on a rainy day)

Mom: Sam, who knew it would rain so much today?

Sam: I did.

Mom: really? how did you know?

Sam: I was talking to God during quiet rest time and He told me.

Mom: wow, what else did He say???

Sam: lots of stuff.

zoo field trip

2009-11-15T16:09:00.001-08:00

Sam's class took a field trip to the zoo this week. I was so blessed to be able to go along. We really had the sweetest day and he was very proud to have his mama there. We had to take pictures of animals from A-Z and turn in a little book, so I took a ton of pictures. These are just some sweet ones...

Sam and his buddy, Garrett...these two are inseparable at school. I think that they look like two 50 year old men.

Sam touching a lizard; I was so proud of how well he sat through a very long presentation.
Sam and Sarah...
Some sweet classmates

2009-11-06T04:29:00.000-08:00

We have entered the stage that Jacob wants to do everything that Sam does. If Sam sneezes, Jacob pretends to sneeze. If Sam gets hurt, Jacob pretends he is hurt. If Sam wants to color, Jacob wants to color. It actually makes things a little bit easier because they are at least doing the same things and always in the same room. Oh, these boys are my heart!

*yes, Sam does have on his super why goggles. and, yes, he pretty much wears them all of the time...

Storybook Character Parade

2009-10-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Sam's school had a storybook character parade for the preschool and kindergarten classes. All of the kids were so adorable! They had to dress up as a character from a favorite book and bring the book with them. It ended up being a very rainy day, so they just paraded inside the school, but they had fun together. Sam was, of course, a shark...

On his way...

2009-10-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

David just called to tell me that his boat will be on the way home in about six hours! Words cannot describe how excited I am! It has been quite a long project. I have so much respect and admiration for single moms and military moms that I never had before. I am amazed at their strength and endurance and know that the Lord esteems them so highly!

Over the last few weeks while David has been gone, I have realized how incredibly blessed I am. I have a husband that I miss when he is away. I have a husband whose absence is unmistakable. I have a husband who I am so in love with. My boys have a daddy who they think can do anything. How many times did I hear..."dad can fix it when he gets home...." or, "i can't wait to tell daddy that when he gets home..." or, "when IS daddy coming home".... I have missed David so much. I have missed having him sit across the table from me every morning while we have our quiet times. I've missed getting a text in the middle of the day to check on me. I've missed the chaos that happens when he walks in the door because everyone is so excited that he's home. I've missed having him sit across from me at dinner and laughing with him about every thing the kids did or said through the day. I've missed laying my head on his shoulder. I've missed him. I can't wait to see him! Just two more days, just two more days!

I've also realized how blessed I am by my friends and family. Oh. my. goodness. They have put up with so much. They have prayed so much. My phone has been full with texts from all of my friends and family checking on me daily. My neighbors did my yard. My sweet coworkers have spent so much of our prayer times praying for David and me. I can't even count the number of texts they've sent to see if there is any new news. I think I've been a little high maintenance lately.

My parents have been so amazing. Don't forget that my dad WALKED to the er when I had to take Jacob and that my mom has been available to me every second. That they have taken us out to dinner; helped me keep my house in order and just been there for me. They are so wonderful to us. They have prayed their hearts out for us. I'm so thankful for them.

Amanda and Greg, Michele and Brannon, and Amy and Bryan. These sweet friends have cooked me dinner, listened to me do my best not to cry. Kept my kids for an entire day when I had to go out of town. Let me come over during those hard afternoon hours. Called to check on me. Let my kids go crazy in their houses. Loved me. Prayed for me. I'm so blessed.

My Lord. He is so good. He has been my rock. His Word is so alive to me. He has drawn me to Him and shown me that I am indeed a strong woman in Him. That I really can do everything through Him. That He really does not get tired. That He really does care. That He really does have purpose in everything and that when we wait on Him, we really are strengthened.

Thanks for praying for us. We are planning a big homecoming party...lots of balloons, a sign, some apple pie and a good, well rounded meal for my man. I can't wait to show you pictures. I love you!

2009-10-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

Psalm 20:4-5
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.

Psalm 60:12
With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies

Isaiah 35:3-4
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs' power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Isaiah 40: 28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding, no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

Smile

2009-10-18T18:58:00.001-07:00

Cheese!!!

2009-10-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

The Solar System

2009-10-12T18:48:00.001-07:00

Sam is very much into the solar system these days. His favorite toys are "Planet Heroes" right now and they are actually very educational. He knows the order of the planets and little facts about each one. He has also made up his very own planets and makes up facts about them as well...I have a hard time keeping up with those!

He asked me the other day if we could make a solar system. Being the crafty mom that I am, I figured that Lakeshore Learning would have some sort of model...and they came through for me! I was having a hard time picturing myself going into Michael's and buying styrofoam balls, paint, a hot glue gun (because I don't own one) and such. I'm so thankful that Lakeshore had this. We had a fun time doing it together and he is so proud!

Looking at all the parts...

Painting done!

Planets put together...

The finished product...

Worn Out

2009-09-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is what my sweet Jacob does whenever he is ready to go to bed. He has done this for a very long time now and I forget how spoiled I am by him! When he is tired, he finds his paci and blankie, lays down and says "night, night." I then just have to read a couple of books and place him in his bed...doesn't get much sweeter than that! Of course, there are those days that he doesn't want to go to sleep, but for the most part, this is what he does. What a sweetheart!

Mr. Frog McClure

2009-09-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

We have had this little visitor in our backyard for the past couple of days and he has provided a great bit of entertainment for my boys. He really likes to get in our sandbox and then hop into our neighbors' yards. I think he is terrified of my kids, but they really like looking at him and talking to him. Sam talks about him quite a bit right now and named him "Mr. Frog McClure." I'm so thankful that it is finally cooling down enough for us to enjoy being outside again!

Here's What Happened When I Went to Put Away Some Laundry...

2009-09-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

Jacob

2009-08-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

Sam's First Homework Assignment

2009-08-25T12:01:00.001-07:00

We had homework for the first time last week! Really, the homework was for the parents to do, but we had to ask our PK4 child some fun questions and then put this little poster together. The kids will "present" it when they are "star of the week." What fun!

This is "All About Sam"

"I am 4 years old.

My favorite color is : all colors

My favorite animal is: a shark

My favorite food is : cheeseburgers (????)

"Home" is my favorite place.

When I grow up I want to be: every kind of sports star.

My favorite thing to do is : play with monster trucks.

If I had one wish, it would be : a thousand monster trucks.

I had fun putting it together and Sam seemed very proud of it!

Popsicles

2009-08-20T04:13:00.000-07:00

Jacob decided that he and Sam needed a popsicle after Sam got home from school yesterday. I was in the kitchen ( and so was everyone else) and opened the freezer to get some things out to cook. Jacob grabbed two popsicles, gave one to Sam, held onto one, grabbed my hand and walked to the back door (because we don't eat popsicles inside). I opened them up and they went and sat on the slide like this....(so i had to run in and grab the camera!)

then, they walked over to the door.

then, we went inside for a bath!!! It is a memory that I want to really remember. There was something so sweet about it. I think Jacob misses Sam while he is at school. This was also the quietest and still that the boys have been in a long time!!!

Empty/Full

2009-08-19T03:49:00.000-07:00

Jacob loves playing in the sink. He fills up the cups, then empties them out. Over and over. He thinks it is so great and gets so excited whenever I let him do it! He is trying so hard to say "empty" and "full." He is sure helping my days when Sam is at school feel full instead of empty! I love this boy!

Pre-K 4

2009-08-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

He's officially growing up! Sam started his PK4 class yesterday and he did great. I think it is going to be a great year for him. He will be going on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8-3. I will miss him sooooooo much. I am a wreck thinking about a full day without him in it, but I am just as excited for him at the same time. He has the same teacher that he had last year and we love her and she loves the kids. He has 4 boys and 4 girls in his class and he told me that "mom! everyone is nice!" when he got in the car yesterday. He also told me little snippets throughout the day about how much fun he had at school and how he likes his new friends. He is also very excited because he gets to sit on the yellow square on the rug instead of the green hexagon. I'm not sure why that is so great, but to him, it is a big deal :)

This is the first time that Sam will be eating lunch at school. I'm so nervous that he won't eat, so I went to Sur La Table and got all of these great cookie cutters to use for his sandwiches...sharks, airplanes, dinasours, etc. So, I asked him what shape he'd like his sandwich to be and he said that he just wanted a square. So, I said, ok, four little squares? And Sam says...no, mom. just a square. that's what a sandwich looks like. Point taken.

When I dropped him off in his class yesterday, he walked in like he hadn't missed a day this summer. He put his backpack where it is supposed to go and then walked over to the table to start playing with playdough. I told him I'd be back soon, and he looked at me with a smile and then his little chin started quivering. I know he didn't want to cry, so I left the room and cried enough for both of us. I think the tears are done, but we'll see! It is going to be such an adjustment for us, but it is good. And, he is at a great school and he loves it.

More Anniversary

2009-08-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

David gave me some flowers this morning for our anniversary...I'm still not sure when he got them, but he gave them to me before he left for work (we both get up really early these days). As soon as I could, I put them in a vase and set them on the kitchen table and wanted to take a picture of them. It made me laugh so hard and made me so thankful for the season that we are in when I looked at the picture. The Handy Manny toys around my vase, the stack of devotionals, Bibles and journals around. That is truly what our life is like. Lots of prayer. Needing Him. Spending lots of time at this table right now looking for the Lord's will. Seeking the Lord. Begging Him for revelation, vision, guidance, provision. kids. toys. laughter. and always, a breath of sunshine right in the middle.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2009-08-11T04:54:00.000-07:00

Today, David and I celebrate eight amazing years of marriage. We have had many highs and some lows, but we have seen the Lord's hand in our marriage every step of the way. I couldn't imagine going through this life with anyone other than my David. We have grown so much as individuals and as a couple over the last eight years.

When we got married, we were 22 years old, fresh out of college. So in love (still are). We moved to New Orleans two days after we got back from our honeymoon to a place where the only people we knew were each other. I think it was the best thing that we could have done for our marriage. We learned to depend on each other and the Lord and nothing else. We bought our first place in New Orleans...a little tiny condo in the Warehouse District. I do mean tiny...like 800 sq. feet. But, we had a blast. We walked together to work everyday and we would meet after work for dinner at a little place called Lucy's. They had $1.00 tacos on Mondays, $2.50 nachos on Tuesdays and $2.50 wings on Wednesdays. I don't know if we ate on Thursdays. But, on Fridays, we'd go out to a fancy restaurant with friends. Almost every Saturday, we went to the little market down the street and got fresh seafood to cook and then on Sundays we went to church. We loved our little church so much. It was there that we really learned about freedom from the law and that Christ came to set us free, not to bind us by the law. I learned so much about grace and learned to walk in grace for the first time in my life. I was no longer grossly judgmental of every person I met. We loved every minute of being newlyweds.

So much has changed since those days...our days our now filled with our sweet Sam and Jacob and all that they demand of us. We don't walk to work anymore...we kiss goodbye with two little boys waving at their daddy. We don't go to Lucy's for dinner, but Sherry's. We don't often eat at fancy restaurants, but at Cafe Express and Jason's. But, we still try our hardest to walk in grace. We still know that Christ came to set us free. We still love each other more than we could imagine. And, we still depend on each other and on the Lord. I'm so thankful for the way that the Lord has grown us and changed us. Making us more other-centered instead of self-centered (kids alone did that) and making us want the best for each other. We pray together more, we cherish the alone moments that we get more and we see the best in each other more than we did in those 800 sq. feet.

Thank you, Lord for eight years! We are so grateful for your hand in our marriage and look forward to all that You have for us!

Bed Head

2009-08-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Summer Georgia Trip

2009-07-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic trip to Georgia this week and are so thankful that we got to spend time with family! We had a very busy trip and loved every minute of it. We flew into Atlanta on Wednesday and headed straight to the Georgia aquarium and then met Uncle Matt and Aunt Meredith for dinner at the OK Cafe. We then headed to the McClure's and spent lots of time playing at their house and in their yard...which was a treat since we haven't been playing outside much in the Houston summer. We also went to Monkey Joe's, the marina, indoor mini golf, red robin, chef lee's, and many other things. But our favorite thing to do at Grammie and Diddy's house is to....................

play with the wheel barrow

roll on "the" hill

and again...

play in "Diddy's playroom" (which, is full of David and Uncle Matt's old toys as well)

hang out...

run laps...

run down the hill...

and climb trees...

On Sunday, we spent the day at Uncle Matt's house with him and our new Aunt Meredith. They were so sweet to host a family with two very busy boys on a Sunday that they could have spent resting (or wedding planning). Uncle Matt played the Wii with Sam for a very long time and Aunt Meredith spent sweet time with Jacob as well as hosting all of us. We are quite a bunch to host! We also had the joy of having David's grandmother come and visit.

We had an early flight out on Monday, so we spent the night in a hotel right next to the airport on Sunday night. They boys had so much fun watching the airplanes take off and land!

Then, it was time to say goodbye!

Thanks for a wonderful trip! We'll see you soon!

Bathroom

2009-07-28T12:19:00.001-07:00

Ok, so here is the bathroom redone! We are really enjoying it, and you will notice the toys in the bathtub show that the boys are enjoying it as well!!

Some Recent Sam Sayings

2009-07-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Mom: Sam why are you acting this way???

Sam: Because I'm three and sometimes three-year-olds don't know how God wants them to act.

Mom: Sam, it's time for quiet rest time.

Sam: But Mom, I just want to be with you, don't you want to be with me?

Sam: Sarah, don't...

Dad: Sam, don't tell Sarah what to do.

Sam: Dad, if you don't want to hear what I have to say, you don't need to listen.

"Mom, can I hug Jacob just because I love him so much?"

"Mom, why did God decide to make that man so fat?"

"Mom, I love being your Sam."

"Four is So Much Different Than Three"

2009-07-14T05:03:00.001-07:00

My mom told me over and over again during Sam's third year that "four is so much different than three." I believed her, but in my mind, I thought, "yeah...and one is different than two, and two than three." I never got what she was saying until a few weeks ago.

Sam and I had a very, very tough year during his three's. That's saying it lightly. There were days that I really did not know what to do with him and he probably didn't know what to do with me. I've never been a yeller, and I'm sad to say that I yelled more than I have in my whole life last year. I think that I read every single discipline book over the year and something would work for a few weeks and then it would fizzle out. And, I was worn out. I really thought that the Lord had given me an impossible child.

Then, he turned four. And I started seeing some fruit from all of those discipline books.

It didn't happen over night, but Sam is really starting to turn into a very sweet child. He is still strong-willed and will still try to argue me till I'm in a million pieces, but he will actually admit when he's wrong now. (!) He says the sweetest things and he actually shares with his brother without me threatening to take the toy away if he doesn't share. He doesn't stomp away when I tell him he is wrong. He is really becoming a delightful person to be around! We still have our days, but they are much fewer and much farther between. I'm so thankful.

So, Mom, you were right...not that I ever doubted you, I just didn't know how true it was. Thanks for telling me over and over and always encouraging me through that tough year. There is no doubt in my mind that there will be other really hard years ahead (and days, and weeks), but for now, I'm going to enjoy this very sweet stage that my Sam is in.

A New Favorite

2009-07-13T04:41:00.000-07:00

Pei Wei has become our new favorite restaurant lately. I've always been a huge fan, but didn't really know how my kids would do there. I'm not really sure how it all started, but I think that Sam asked if he could use chopsticks to eat and so we started going to Pei Wei. I am pretty sure that we have gone there weekly for the past two months. Lakeshore Learning center is right next to it, so we have a little routine of going to eat and then heading over to Lakeshore to play. My kids both love the honey chicken and they always finish their plates. Sam also really likes the edamame, but Jacob could pass on that. I'm not sure how long the love will last, but we'll see. I think that Sam is just so proud that he can use chopsticks, and Jacob, well, that little guy just loves to eat.

**sorry that there's no pictures of Jacob...he wasn't really in the mood to be photographed**

Good Morning!!!

2009-07-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

This is how my boys were this morning. They camped out on the couch to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse before going up to the playroom to play. I think they are worn out! We have been swimming at least once everyday this week and I think they just need a low-key day. When Sam woke up, he asked if he could lay on the couch, which I know is a sure sign of exhaustion for my child who never wants to be still! Happy Friday...we'll be taking it easy!

Summer Recipe

2009-07-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Summer Garden Skillet

1 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

chicken pieces (i buy the frozen chicken breast tenderloins and use about 8 for this recipe)

1/4 cup butter

3/4 c. chicken broth

3/4 c. dry sherry

1 16oz. can artichoke hearts

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 medium onion

1 medium green pepper

other veggies...i've used squash, zuchinni, cucumbers, peas, beans...anything from your garden or favorite summer veggies

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bag. shake chicken pieces in the bag. brown the chicken in the butter, turning once. reduce heat and add broth and sherry. cover and simmer 45 minutes. add vegetables, cover and cook 15 minutes longer.

i've served this over rice, but you could definitely serve in over a salad as well. my kids and my husband love this dish!

18 Months

2009-07-05T19:50:00.001-07:00

Dear Jacob,

Where have the last 18 months gone? I cannot believe how fast you are growing up. I love you to pieces. I'm so glad that I get to be your mommy. You are such a joy to our family. You bring laughter that we would not have if you weren't here. You make us run faster than we knew we could. You keep us watching you even though you'd prefer not to be watched at all. You are so independent, my child. You are completely content to be in a room by yourself. The only problem with that is that you can get into a heap of trouble quick if I let you stay by yourself. Just the other day, I left the room for about 15 seconds and when I walked back in, you were on top of a table. You love to climb and you love to try to jump. I hope that those two don't go together any time soon! You would rather run all over the house than sit and play with anything at this stage of your sweet life, but you are starting to give a little bit of attention to some toys...mainly ones that move. Jacob, you make everyone that you meet feel like they are the most important person you've ever met. You'll let anyone hold you and you act like you'd stay in their arms forever. I'm glad I get to be the one to hold you every night! You say hi to everyone and goodbye to everyone. You love to blow kisses to anyone you are saying goodbye to. I love your sanguine personality. It is a very welcome breath of fresh air in our house! Right now, you love to dance and are so adorable when you do it. You sing to us all of the time and want everyone to dance with you. You don't say a ton of words yet, but you talk constantly. If only we knew what you were saying! You will walk up to me or your daddy and say something with the inflection of a question and when we respond, you just smile and go on your merry way. We are so glad that you are a happy boy. You sure make us happy all of the time! Happy one and a half. We love you!

Just Some Fun Pictures...

2009-07-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

In Our Room Right Before Bed...Doesn't Sam Look Ready For Bed????

Jacob in Captain Hook's Closet

Sam and Jacob on Stage...

Caleb and Sam at Dinner

Castaway Cay

2009-07-01T05:48:00.000-07:00

Castaway Cay is Disney's private island in the Bahamas and our cruise stopped there on our second day. We headed to the beach right after breakfast and found a perfect spot for our family to enjoy the beach. Within the first 30 seconds, Jacob had sand covering his entire body. Literally. He poured sand all over himself. He couldn't have been happier and it made Sam belly laugh while we tried to apply sunscreen. As soon as we got sunscreen on, we went to the water and splashed and played. Jacob loved the water. He had his floaties on, but he would float on his tummy with his head out of the water and then put his face in it. I don't think a smile left his face for the entire time we were in the water. Except when he started falling asleep in the water. That's when I knew that he was probably ready for a nap. Jacob and I headed back to our spot so he could rest while David and Sam stayed in the water.

Then, it was time to build sandcastles. We took our own sand toys and David, Sam, Bryan and Caleb built them a sandcastle. Too bad I don't have pictures! I forgot to take many pictures on the beach, so you'll just have to imagine with me!

My parents stayed at our spot while Jacob slept for awhile so that both David and I could swim with Sam in the ocean. We looked for all kinds of fish, but I think that the water was too full of people this year. Last year, Sam and David saw a stingray and a pretty large fish while they were playing in the ocean.

Since we are very fair-skinned folks, we headed back onto the ship after lunch. Sam, Grandpa and Caleb went back out for a boat ride in the afternoon and Amy and Sarah enjoyed the beach for the entire day!

More Cruise

2009-06-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Here is how a day on the cruise went for us:

6 a.m. : Jacob wakes up and Mommy takes Jacob to run all over the ship so Sam can stay asleep. The first place we always went was to get coffee and watch the end of the sunrise. Sweet moments for sure. I think we covered each and every inch of the ship every morning...and rode every elevator...and pushed every button on every elevator. I loved chasing him and watching him say "hi" to everyone we passed. You'd be amazed at the people awake this early walking around.

7ish: head back to our room to see if Dad and Sam are ready for breakfast. Head to breakfast where Sam had a cinnamon roll and chocolate milk everyday. Not our typical breakfast, but we let things go on vacation! We usually sat on the deck outside for breakfast.

From this point, I don't think I ever really knew what time it was. But, we'd spend some time playing ping-pong and fusball(I don't know how to spell that), swimming and getting ready for the day. We did Atlantis one day and then Castaway Cay another day. The last day we spent at sea, but those will all have separate posts...

At some point, we'd grab lunch and keep playing, swimming, chasing Jacob, etc. Jacob would usually need a nap in the afternoon, so I'd go back to the room with him and David and Sam would do an activity. One day, they went to the movie "Earth," and the other days, I think they just kept swimming or playing games.

We'd go to dinner, which was really the only time that we saw our whole group which consisted of my little family, my brother and his family, my parents and my grandparents. We had a good time at dinner and enjoyed the food and company. And, we all took turns letting Jacob run around since he now despises high chairs. There is no telling how many chicken fingers and chocolate milk was consumed at each dinner between the four kids:)

After dinner, we would put Jacob in the nursery and David and I would take Sam to a show. First of all, Jacob loved the nursery. I was hesitant to put him in, but he practically jumped out of my arms when I dropped him off and he cried to go back in when I picked him up each time. He loved that place and that made this mama happy! We saw the "Toy Story" show, which Sam enjoyed so much. I was very impressed with it as well. Another night, they showed the movie, "Up," and the last show was a "Disney Dreams" show. I didn't think that Sam would actually sit through each show, but he did great and got really into the shows. I had just as much fun watching him as I did watching the shows.

Last, it was time to head back to our room and go to sleep. The kids were both so worn out that they'd fall asleep quick. Jacob usually ended up in our bed around midnight and by five, all four of us were in our bed. We never do this at home, and I don't want to start doing it at home, but it was kind of sweet on vacation. There are no other people in this world I'd rather wake up to!

I'm sure no one is still reading this, but I just wanted to write it down for my own memory!

I Want My House Back!!!

2009-06-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

While we were on vacation, we started having our bathroom redone. Somewhere in my little mind, I decided that I'd just come home to a new bathroom after we'd been gone for a week. Wrong. Wrong indeed. I came home to dust all over my downstairs and plastic covering my furniture and everything else upstairs. My suitcases are still full. I haven't gotten to do laundry. I haven't really even been able to be here because managing two kids, a dog and 15 construction workers in my bathroom is a bit much. We've been running around to the pool, friend's pools, Mimi's house, stores, etc. for the week in order to stay out of the house. I just want to clean my house, do laundry and not have people showing up at 8 a.m. to make a bunch of noise and mess.

But, I get a new bathroom. Something I've wanted for a long time.

Isn't that just like the enemy to want to take away our prize by getting us frustrated with the process? There are so many times that I think we miss out on our blessing because we are so caught up in the inconvenience of things instead of finding joy in the journey. I always pray to have a renewed heart and mind. I pray to be changed. But, I don't want to go through the process that it takes because sometimes the process gets...well...messy. I think that sometimes, we start a process and then just sweep the dust under the rug so that we don't have to see all of the mess and never get changed. We might just have a little glimpse of the process and we get scared to have to deal with the mess of it all. I don't want to miss out on blessings anymore. I am willing to go through the process of change in order to be changed. I want to be different than I am now even if it gets messy.

Romans 5:3-5

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character hop. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.

****I am not in any way saying that having my bathroom done is suffering. It just brought this analogy to me. I am beyond thankful that we get to do this********************

Atlantis

2009-06-23T11:35:00.001-07:00

Our first port of call on the cruise was Nassau and we decided to go to the Atlantis aquarium. Sam absolutely loves aquariums, so this was the best day of his life of course! We saw hammerhead sharks as well as tons of other sea creatures. I enjoyed watching Sam get excited about every creature and watching Jacob point at each thing and say "look!!" My parents and grandparents joined us on this excursion as well!

Us in front of the ship

A close up...I think I am asking my dad if he knows how to use the camera

Mom and Sam

Dad and Jacob on the bus to Atlantis

Me and my boys...Sam thought it was so cool that he got to sit in this middle seat...I was just trying to hold onto him!

Jacob and the jellyfish

Jacob snoozed through the first part of the aquarium...

Sam and the goliath grouper

Pool Time On The Boat

2009-06-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

Sam and Jacob had a great time swimming on the cruise. Well, Sam did at least. Babies who are not potty trained are not allowed to swim on cruises for obvious reasons. Thankfully, Disney knew this would be hard and they have a separate splash/fountain area for kids who are not potty trained. Sam jumped in there a few times with Jacob as well!!

Downtown Disney

2009-06-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

We travelled to Orlando the day before our cruise departed so that we could enjoy the hotel that we were staying at and Downtown Disney. Amy and I got to sit next to each other on the plane and I think that was the only time that we had a complete conversation! I'm so thankful that we did that!

The boat ride to Downtown Disney...

I think Jacob likes it...

The Lego Store...these dogs are made completely out of legos

The train at the Orlando airport; the kids loved this and didn't understand why it was so short!

We're Back...

2009-06-21T12:09:00.001-07:00

...and this is a taste of how much fun we had...

...i have so many pictures to post and so many fun stories to tell!!!

...I am trying to get used to not being waited on hand and foot...not having my bed turned down with chocolates every night...actually having to fix my kid's plates and cut up their food...not getting room service whenever we want...boy, were we spoiled!!!

Speaking of room service, Sam got quite used to it and even picked up the phone and ordered himself some chocolate chip cookies and milk one time...and they brought it!! We had a great time and I can't wait to share more pictures!