Watermelon Girls

We had a BBQ last night with some friends and as the sun was setting on us I couldn't help myself - the light was just gorgeous - so we took some pictures. :) The girls were enjoying their watermelon, the dads were flying kites to entertain the kids (and themselves), and we moms were keeping ourselves busy with important conversation making. HA! :) Here are some highlights of the evening . . .

Mother's Day

Today (as hopefully EVERYBODY already knows) is Mother's Day. A day for us to honor our Mothers - and hopefully it's not the ONLY day we show them honor and gratitude - but it is a day set aside especially for that.

My mom is amazing. In fact - all of the "moms" in my life are amazing. I'll start with my mom. I'm the oldest of 4 girls - so she managed to survive raising all of us - and she pretty much did it on her knees. (No, not as in waving the white flag of surrender, but on her knees praying for us.) She is daily an example and encouragement to me as a wife and a mom - and I pray that someday my kids will see in me the same things that I see in my mom. My husband tells me I'm more like my mom every day - and I can't help but think of that as an AWESOME compliment - there is no person in this world that I'd rather be like. She loves the Lord with all her heart and everyone who meets her sees that she is DIFFERENT. I want to be just like her.

My mom's mom is equally as cool. :D Apparently back in her day (before getting married) my Grammie was QUITE a handful - and quite the spit fire! I have a hard time believing this because of who I know her to be today - calm, steady, quiet - but at one time she could raise some SERIOUS you-know-what. :) I would say that Grampie managed to tame her but I THINK she is one who wouldn't have been tamed - she probably decided for HERSELF to allow God to work in her life to make her the amazing woman that she is. If only she lived closer . . .

My dad's mom is such a blessing. I get to see her a lot since she lives close and I honestly think of my grandma as one of my best friends. I say this truthfully - I know of NO ONE else on this planet that has as much of a servant's heart as my Grandma does. Well, not true - she married the OTHER person with as much of a servant's heart - my Grandpa. :) The two of them are incredible examples of servants and it is because they live not for themselves, but to serve God.

Here's another REALLY cool thing about the moms in my family. It's not JUST my family that has such awesome ones - Matthew's mom (my Mother-in-law) is equally as much an encouragement and example to me as my own mom is. From the day we met I knew we'd be best friends, and no matter what I know that she loves me (even though I'm not her "own" daughter) and that she prays for me and our family - what a blessing. Then there's Matthew's Mom's Mom - Granny. :) Granny is so special - she, like my own grandmas, loves the Lord and will be the first to offer help, encouragment, or just her prayers for you. Granny and I can sit and talk for HOURS . . . she's just that cool.

The women in my family are living examples to me (and my 3 sisters) of what a wife, mother, and a follower of Christ should look like. Not just look like on the outside - but on the inside. I pray that my daughter Ella will see this in me as well, and I pray that she will also love the Lord and live her life for Him - and that this legacy will continue on in our family.

Happy Mother's Day Mom, Grandma, Grammie, Peggy & Granny - Thank you for being there for us, for supporting us, loving us, for praying for us, and for the example that you give to us each day with your lives. Love you all so much!

Happy Birthday to ME! :)

I figured that it was my duty to make sure everyone knows why I'm celebrating today . . . it's my 26th birthday! :) In our family, each person is entitled to a week of celebration (mine started last Friday). However, this week has been so busy that I've decided my week of celebration shall take place during the week FOLLOWING my birthday. It's either that or I will be forced to declare a MONTH of celebration - and I don't think my family will put up with that. :)

So I googled "birthday" and here's what wikipedia tells us about it: (I took the liberty of editing the following paragraph to better serve my purpose.)

Birthday is the name given to the day that some people in many cultures celebrate the anniversary they were born. It is often marked by a birthday party and/or friends when gifts are given to the person celebrating the birthday. It is also customary to treat people specially on their birthday, either generally acceding to their wishes, or subjecting them to a rite of transition.
The celebration of birthdays is not universal. Some adults loathe celebrating it as it reminds them that they are getting progressively older.

Yall let me know if you feel some sort of leading in the area of gift giving and/or celebrating - I'm available for both. I also googled "birthday" in the hopes of finding some AWESOME image that I could post here . . . and BOY did I find one!! :) (I know what you're about to ask, and NO - of COURSE I did not do any editing on this - WHY would you suggest that??)

OK so this entire post is all in jest - I truly don't expect ANYONE to bring gifts, cake, money, ice cream, cupcakes, jewelry, shoes, clothes, purses, movie tickets, free babysitters, etc to me today (but if you are so inclined, please know I will not take the joy of giving away from you) - but here's what I DO expect....

....I expect EVERYONE to do something to celebrate. :) - HA! So go eat a small (or large) bowl of ice cream! Take a wander around the mall, go see a movie, EAT SOME CAKE - whatever strikes your fancy. :) Because TODAY is a special day - even Einstein says so!! :)

Carissa & Loren: ANTICIPATE

Today I had the pleasure of meeting Carissa & Loren - you guys, thank you so much for a fun day! I think everyone will agree with me that Carissa is truly glowing and she is one of the most beautiful pregnant women I have seen! I'm excited to share this little sneak peek with them of what's to come - and I'm afraid there is SO much more to come!! :) I hope your last few weeks of pregnancy go quickly and well - and thank you for allowing me to photograph this special time in your lives!

Home again!

I'm back home - yay! The doctors have really found nothing. There's nothing wrong with my gallbladder and no stomach ulcers - praise the Lord! :) They did find some erosion in my stomach/esophagus which is around a flap or something - can you tell I was drugged when they told me what was going on?? Anyways, it can cause pain - but not severe abdominal pain like I experienced. SO---big fat nothing. No matter what, I'm glad to be home - I'll be following up with my family doctor and also the GI doctor I saw - and maybe with some more testing (outside the hospital!) they will find a reason - but as long as it NEVER comes back I'll be happy!! :) Thank you all for praying for me - I really do appreciate it.

if you wouldn't mind, please pray for Micah. :) He's been back and forth between the grandma's and auntie Joanna - and for as much fun as he and Ella have had, he's come down with something. Matthew is taking HIM to the doctor this afternoon to make sure he doesn't need antibiotics - sounds like another ear infection or something - so anyways, please pray that Micah's feeling well soon adn that we ALL (the grandmas included!!) can get some much needed rest tonight! Thanks again!