What a cutie!

I decided Elizabeth is looking more like a little girl every day, and less like the baby girl from a year ago. Here's my attempt at catching a few moments in this adorable little girl's life. (Yep, I made that awesome bow!)

Simple as black and white

I love black and white pictures! And I don't know why, but there's something even better about taking a great black and white picture, rather than just using photo editing to make it black and white. For our 400th post, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite black and white pictures.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Time for dancing!

Elizabeth is on the top, left hand side of the screen. She's the little ballerina laying flat on her tummy at the beginning.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Since her Grandma and Grand-Daddy couldn't make it, they sent her this pretty, yummy, ballet treat (notice the vase!).

Blowing bubbles in your jammies

No bubble blowing going on here, but look how cute they are!
And I'll be some of you didn't know how much hair Benjamin had grown under than helmet. It the top picture of Elizabeth and Benjamin, you can see how it flips out over his ear. So sweet!

The devil went down to Georgia....

... and it looks like we're going too!

Once again, my mom came up with a plan. She called me and suggested that Curtis and I go to Atlanta to see my sister and her husband. I loved the idea! We would fly, but wouldn't have to pay for a hotel or anything. We could just stay with my sister or my parents' best friends, Mr. Ron and Ms. Terri. I called Curtis, thinking he wouldn't be crazy about the idea, but he loved it too!

So, we're taking a kinda long trip to Georgia sometime this summer!!

What we're hoping to be able to do is fly to Georgia on a Thursday and then fly back to Wichita on a Tuesday, since those are cheap days to fly. We're not sure when we'll be going, if our little plan will work, or if we can maybe get painting done too. My theory on painting is that we've waited almost three years to paint, a little more time won't kill us. A break is just what Curtis and I need!

I'm so excited, even though we don't have any details figured out! Curtis and I have never taken a trip like this since we've had kids. I'm looking forward to lots of quiet, lots of sleep, and then lots of fun with Megan and Matt.

Thanks for playing my little poll game!

In case you forgot...

... I'm still posting on Benjamin's blog. It's not as often as this blog, but that's where I put updates on how he's doing. As we approach his first birthday, I've been more reflective than normal about the past few months, so things aren't as "fluffy" over there as they are here. :-)

Anyway, keep checking his blog too see how great our God has been in the life of Benjamin!

Poll

To the right, you will see that I have started another poll. Here's the question.... Should Curtis and I take a trip while the kids are with their grandparents this summer?

I have somehow manage to suck my unsuspecting mother into a plan where she will keep my kiddos for a week in Kansas. Yay!!! I know that the kids will have a ball, I hope my parents will too, and I know for a FACT that Curtis and I are looking forward to some time "off". However, we're a little unsure of how to spend our time.

If we did take a trip, we would probably drive, unless we got crazy cheap tickets to fly. So take that into consideration and help us pick a destination for a loooong trip. (We'll be dropping the kids off in Wichita KS).

If we just come back home, no trip, I will spend my free time painting the living room and working on lots of other projects on my to do list.

If we do both, we again need help deciding where to go.

So, have fun helping chose our summer plans!

Look what he can do now!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Poster for march

Here's the poster for the March for Babies. Thanks, Jamison, for all your help! Here's the Bible verse that Curtis and I chose to somewhat sum up our journey.

“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 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.” Romans 5:2-5

Marching for Babies

Thank you so much to all our friends and family who helped us meet, and exceed our March of Dimes goal! Curtis and I are really getting excited about the first Saturday in May, when we will be marching to help babies get a healthy start!

Today, I was checking Adam and Andrew's blog, whose team we will be marching on. Their Mommy, Lindsey, has done an amazing job raising money, organizing a team, and has just placed an order for our team shirts. They are so great, and very touching! She very sweetly included Benjamin's name on the back of the shirt where they listed babies who they were marching for. I was very touched! Thanks Lindsey, you're an incredible woman who I look up to!

This afternoon my friend Jamison is coming over to help me make a poster which will be placed along the trail where we will be marching (she's also marching with our team!). I'm looking forward to sharing Benjamin's story with others through our poster.

If you haven't already contributed to our team, please think about doing so. I'm thrilled that we have met our personal goal, but I would love to just blow that silly goal out of the water! Benjamin's life has been touched by the March of Dimes, as have several dear friends. If Benjamin has touched and inspired you, we would love your support!

More spring time fun!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Micah-isms

Funny things Micah has said:

Upon seeing a cherry: "I want that strawberry grape!"

We went to the park yesterday, and of course the first thing we did was hit the swings! Micah was swinging on a big swing and I think I had him going to high/fast and he started shaking. When I asked him if he was shaking, he said, "Yeah, I shake like chocolate milk!"

Getting to be a big boy!

Next month Benjamin turns one! Where has the time gone?! Every time one of my children celebrates a birthday, I say that, but with everything Benjamin's been through, I'm finding it even more true! Here is some photographic evidence (mainly for his Grandma) of what a big boy Benjamin is becoming. Tonight Benjamin had his first meal at the table with the rest of us. Should have wiped his face, but at least you know he enjoyed his first dinner in the booster!
Benjamin has been playing with the idea of walking for a little while now. He's done it, but he's very timid. Each day he's becoming less timid.
He is a very comfortable stander. He'll stand and look at you and clap for himself for quite awhile, but still doesn't walk much.
Steady, steady! This was actually a save, and not a fall. I love how babies use their entire bodies to walk!

We are greatly blessed with each of our children! How thankful we are for days filled with new big boy adventures!

This year's bluebonnet pictures

Picture taking was a bit of a nightmare, the bluebonnets weren't great, and we were all glad to be done. But don't the look cute?! And yes, I made Elizabeth's bow!

Bluebonnets... old and new?

I love taking bluebonnet pictures! The blubonnets bgan coming out a couple weeks ago, right before I left to go to Kansas. I was so worried that we would miss our annual trip to take bluebonnet pictures. Curtis assured me that they would still be here when I got back, and he was right! The bluebonnets are out, and looking beautiful. This afternoon, the kids and I, along with Ashlee and Gracie Mae, will be venturing out to take wonderful, beautiful, spring time in Texas pictures. At least that's what I'm hoping for! Here are some pictures from the past few years to tide you over till this evening or tomorrow when I get the 2008 pictures up! 2005 (Elizabeth was 9 months old)
2006 (Micah was 3 weeks old!)
2006 (Elizabeth was 21 months)
2007 (Micah had just turned one, and Elizabeth was almost three. I was about eight months pregnant with Benjamin!)

Life's Simple Pleasures

This has been stolen from Rachel, Hannah and Christi. Thanks ladies!

watching YouTube with someone you love

matching jammies AND a good picture of all the kids

going swimming for the first time

pizza with a cute guy
mommy's night out!
pretending to be a princess

waiting for Daddy to get home

young love"mature" love :-)


Our love!

Look what I made!

I love having a daughter for many reasons. One of those reasons is all the girly stuff that comes with a girl... like BOWS! Sing bows aren't always cheap, my Mom helped me learn to make them. Here's a few of the ones that I made.
Yay me!

Spring in Texas

This morning, the kids and I went out in the back yard for a little fun. I'm enjoying this time of year for a couple reasons. Mainly, because I know that in a very short amount of time it will be hot, humid, and yucky! While outside, we broke in the kids' new Easter present from Grandma... bubbles! The great thing about these bubbles is that they are no spill. Very nice!
If Micah would pucker then blow, it would be a little bit better. Instead, he sucks in his bottom lip and hisses. Like the hair do, Aunt Shannon?
Benjamin tried really hard to blow bubbles, but decided that eating the bottle was just as fun. I call this picture, Big Mouth Ben!

Elizabeth and Micah, enjoying the swing set!
Hopefully, in the near future, I will be able to put up a few more pictures of what we enjoy about spring in Texas.

Art

Here are a few of the long overdue pictures from Shannon's art show, just over a week ago. It was an amazing show, and I was so thankful that my Mom helped us make it up there. My favorite part of the show was the artist's talk. Hearing Shannon talk about her work, explain her inspiration and train of thought made all the pieces fall into place, and everything made a lot of sense. This is my favorite piece. Unfortunately (for me) it sold!
These two are actually painted on doors! Who would have thought?
On the floor, under the big piece, is a doily made up of spoons.
Close up of the big piece.

These are just a few of the 26 tea cups that she made. I looked over them several times, and always found something new. There were even embellishments on the inside!

Shannon's talent was clearly seen, and we all had a great time! Congratulations on a wonderful show Shannie!

Life as a Bachelor (at least temporarily)

For the past week, I have been living life in College Station without my family as they are visiting grandparents in Kansas. Some might see this as a great opportunity to live life as a bachelor in College Station, playing video games, hanging out with friends, and just living it up in general. Going into this past week, knowing that I would have a week to myself, I started out with many of the same thoughts. However, as I near the end of the time apart and prepare for a trip to Wichita Falls (that's in Texas, not Kansas) to rendezvous with my family, I am glad that this ordeal is almost over. I long to be with them, to hold my children close, and especially to see and hold Kierstyn, my beloved wife whom I miss most of all. Thanks to the technology of webcams and the simplicity of picking up the phone, I have been able to see and talk to everyone just about every day, but it just isn't the same. Also, thanks to Kierstyn's family for loving and caring for them so well that I am not troubled with worry over their being under someone else's watch, only wishing that I could be with them as well.

Before Kierstyn and I were married, we spent the dating and engaged portions of our relationship separated by a few hundred miles, wishing that we could be together but never knowing what that would actually be like. Now, having been married for just over 7 years, I know what I am missing when she is not around. It's just not as much fun going home at the end of the day when I know I am going home to an empty house (except for K.C. who is actually quite happy to see me since she hasn't been out all day). Sure I don't have to "deal with" the tired, hungry children that are trying to drive their mother crazy while she is working so hard to get dinner ready and mitigate the sibling battles simultaneously, but I miss it. That's part of what I signed up for when we decided to become parents. I am certainly not one of the young mom's in Kierstyn's Bible study, but I will give her an AMEN with regard to the scripture ("Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him."Psalm 127: 3) that she quoted below in her "Feeling Normal" post. All that we have gone through with Benjamin has really helped me to appreciate what a wonderful blessing our children are, and even more so how greatly I have been blessed by having Kierstyn along side me as my wife and best friend.

No offense to the single guys out there who may read this, but you can keep your bachelor life and I will take my life as a family man (I am sure that many of you would be happy with that arrangement). It may be chaotic at times, but it is my chaos, and I want it back. Thankfully, I only have to wait one more day.

Marching for Babies

In just over a month, our family will be marching with Adam and Andrew in the March for Dimes March for Babies. Adam and Andrew were born very early, and we have been praying for them since before they were born! What blessings they are, and what amazing parents they have! Check out their blog for their amazing story.

Not only do we want to walk because of Adam and Andrew, but also for Benjamin. The March of Dimes has done research and donated money to others who are researching craniosynistosis, which is what Benjamin had. We are so thankful for how amazing Benjamin is doing, and know that it's only because of God's goodness to him. We are also thankful for how God used the medical profession to help Benjamin make such a wonderful recovery. So not only are we walking for Adam and Andrew, but for Benjamin, who too has received benefits from the March of Dimes.

If you can, please help us reach our goal, as we walk to give each baby a chance at a healthy start!

Today, Elizabeth said...

"I just can't get it, I don't have enough horse power!"

"Micah is yucking on me!" ("Yucking" consists of something with dirt and sticks....)