Celebrating KK!

On Tuesday, we were all so excited to get to witness Kelli walk across the stage with her college degree!  It is amazing how old that I must be since she is graduating college:)  Anyway, she handled it with style and grace as she accepted the diploma that she has worked so hard for.  Kelli, we are all so proud of you!  We can't wait to see the path that God will lead you down.  Our biggest words of wisdom are... 1. Trust God.  He has a plan and purpose for you that is far beyond our understanding.
                       2. Be who God made you to be instead of trying to be like everyone else.  God made you unique for a purpose.
                       3. Love God and Love People.  This sums up the whole Gospel.
                       4. Choose friends that will lead you in the right direction.
                       5. Be picky when choosing who you will marry.  Don't settle!  God has someone amazing waiting for the right time to meet you. 

We love you more than you can imagine, and I am so honored to be able to call you my sister! 

Oh...how time flies!

On Easter weekend, we had the privilege to get to have some of our best friends visit from Chicago.  Kelly was my college roommate 10 years ago.  Wow, did I just say that?  I love where in Proverbs 17:17, it says that a friend loves at all times and that is exactly how I feel about Kelly and Craig.  I have to say that Kelly knows everything about me, the good and the ugly; yet, she is always there for me!  Carson, I hope and I pray that as you grow that you will invest time and energy to choosing good friends.  It is going to be hard to not just want to fit in with the crowd, but I challenge you to look below the surface and find friends that truly care about you and truly love you.  You see if a friend truly loves you, they will do what is in your best spiritual interest.  They will go above and beyond to keep you on a path that leads you to Christ. 

Enjoying a beautiful day at Clyde Warren Park.

Carson getting ready to enjoy some yummy food from the food trucks.

 

Easter Weekend 2013

The egg hunt has begun!

Sorry, bud!  No candy this year!  Just gummies!

Yes, Craig can juggle Easter eggs!

The Dallas Zoo

Wow, that is a tall giraffe!

Man, I hope it is a long time before this day gets here!

Love you guys!!!!!!

It took a few days for C to get over Kelly and Craig leaving:( Boo hoo!

Lexi and Carson at the park.

This is one of my favorite times of the week...swimming with Carson!

 

 I am so proud of you!  You are up to swimming 6 seconds under water.  Yes, I am making the monkey face so that you will continue to hold your breath.  Guess, I am holding mine too!  Six seconds is a long time for a mommy!

Carson floating on his back!

 

Life at the Beach

Someone that I am really close to has asked me several times this past month, "Why don't we live at the beach?", and my honest reply is "I don't know."  We were blessed to get to go to the beach this past spring break with Brandon's parents and my sister.  I just love being there.  It is so much more that just a vacation from the daily routine, but it is where I feel closest to God.  Just stand in the sand and watch the ocean.  You will see the mighty power in the waves, yet feel the calmness that surrounds you.  This is just how I see God.  I know a God with mighty power who is able to do everything, yet an extreme amount of calmness and gentleness as He molds his people to look more like Him.  Then, walk along the shore and look at all the sea shells.  Each one has such different characteristics yet are so beautiful.  This is how I see God's people.  Each one of us looks differently. We all have unique characteristics, but all are so beautiful and have a purpose.  So, why don't we live there and get to see God's beauty every day?  I don't know.  Maybe someday.

The view from our window.  Only steps away from the white, sandy beaches of Perdido Key, FL.

Day 1: Carson digging in the sand.

Sweet KK soaking up the sun!

Pop and Carson getting more water to build the sand castle.

Carson showing off his skills at LuLu's.  Not too bad for a two-year-old.

I am not sure exactly what he would do without his KK!

 Sweet Little Boy

 Carson visiting the Naval Museum for the first time!  Thanks Mimi!

Anything scary about this picture?

 Carson riding the train at Lambert's.  Oh, if only I could have one more roll with apple butter!  Yum!

Thanks Mimi and Pop for blessing us with such a great time!  We love you!

Oh, did I mention that we visited the Duck Commander headquarters in Monroe, LA!  So funny!  This is Jep and his wife in the truck:)

It's a Process

I always love what Carson has planned to say to me when he wakes up from a nap.  For a few weeks, he would consistently wake up and ask, "Whatcha been doing?".  For a few days in a row, I told him that I had been painting so he got to where he would wake up and say, "Been painting?"  Well, it has been several weeks now since I have been painting during nap time because we have had so much going on, but honestly I love the days when I get to paint.  I have this love to find hidden treasures and so does my husband.  So whether it is at a garage sale, a flea market, or something from our grandparent's house, it is always exciting to find the least wanted piece of furniture and get to work.  Generally, when we bring something home, I don't know exactly what it will look like when I finish.  In fact, it usually isn't until the very end of the project when I truly see what the piece will look like.  Unfortunately, I always forget to take pictures of the before so really only Brandon can truly appreciate the piece when it has been transformed and redeemed from the ugliness of its old life.  For me, this transformation process is a way that I can tangibly grasp what God is doing to me.  There are many times in my life when I have felt like the least valuable object in the room, yet God takes me anyway and sands away my imperfections so that His original creation can be restored. Carson, there are going to be many days throughout your life that you will wonder what God has planned for you next, but my greatest prayer is that he will work in your life and continue to refine you, sand you, until you become closer and closer to His reflection.  God will never leave you alone in an empty room.  He chose you to be His and that is what makes you special.  Thank you for teaching me more and more about God's love each day.  It brings joy to mine and your dad's heart to hear you sing of God's love, to hear you say His word, and to watch how you at two-years-old share God's love with others.  We love you!

You will always be my inquisitive little boy.  You are constantly asking questions and seeking to find answers.

Carson and Grandy feeding the ducks.  Grandy is trying to get Carson to throw it just a little further.

Sweet Nannie and Carson watching the ducks.

You have grown up so much these last few months.  You want to go down the biggest slides all by yourself.  "I can do it...I can do it."

Last weekend, Brandon's family got together in support of Aunt Donna to walk and raise awareness for MS.  Here Aunt Donna and Cousin JD tried to lead the crowd but it appears that they were headed in the wrong direction!  After many turns, our family got together as one. 

 Here Carson is all snuggled up with Grandmother.  It was quite a pleasant ride until the tires started slowly going down...down...down.

The bright blue shirts with orange writing are those from our family.  It is hard to tell who is who due to the amount of layers that each of us was wearing.  It was cold to say the least and a long 3-mile walk but at the finish line everyone was full of smiles.  Donna, we love you and are praying for you!