Monday, June 29, 2009

Blogging from the Beach

Here are a few scenes from our first full day on Hilton Head. We are in an amazing house that backs up to the bay and is a short walk from the beach.
Are there any fish in there? Chase and his cousin Warren, only two weeks his senior, were determined to find out.



Noelly digs the beach...get it? Holy cow is that a handsome kid or what?
Being a totally cool beach dude makes you very thirsty.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Friday, June 12, 2009

Our 9 year Anniversary

On Wednesday, Chris and I celebrated nine years of marital bliss. Well, mostly bliss. In honor of this auspicious occasion I decided to present the top nine reasons Chris is still the man of my dreams.










#1 He is my knight in shining armor.
#2 He is an excellent dancer!
#3 He makes me feel like the queen of our castle.



#4 He can fly.







#5 He is still a kid at heart.





#6 He indulges my holiday madness.






#7 He enjoys losing at wrestling.






#8 He and I share loads of love.









And #9 He is a wise old owl.





I am lucky to have him for all these reasons and many, many more.




Monday, June 8, 2009

Bad News Quota-Met for a long time!

Warning: This is not my typical funny stories about the kids blogpost.


I have gotten to the point that I am almost afraid to check facebook, read e-mail, or catch up on blogs. I can't think of another time when I have been so inundated with bad news from friends, family, or even strangers whose stories have somehow crossed my consciousness. I keep saying I have met my bad news quota but the breaking news keeps on coming
I feel so powerless when I hear stories of sick children, broken homes, miscarriages, sick or dying parents, and soldiers killed defending our country. I am such a problem solver at heart I cannot stand being unable to do anything. I want to physically do something to help. Maybe it is in my good Southern genes, but upon the hearing of bad news I almost always mentally inventory my pantry for ingredients to a casserole. Even if I can't do anything else, I can feed you.
I had to take my Grandfather to the ER on Friday night (everything turned out ok and he was released at 3:30 a.m.) While I was there I couldn't help but notice a young man with a full laundry basket that he carried around with him. I filling out Papa's paperwork and he came to check in right next to me. He told the clerk he could not read or write and asked her to fill the forms out for him. When she asked what was wrong he told her he was suicidal.
Now maybe, it was because the majority of the bad news I received came through on Friday or maybe I was just tired, but as we sat in the waiting room with that young man I very nearly started weeping. I was also compelled to offer to take his laundry and wash it for him because that was something I could do to help his life just a little bit. My logical mind knew this was an absurd thought, but my action oriented heart felt that if someone could just show him some kindness his life would improve.
Instead, I took the only action that I realistically could take. I prayed. And, that is the action I am taking for all the aforementioned situations I referenced. I invite you to pray to. Pray for the Pethel family, the Longs, the Jenrettes, the Page's, the families whose names I withheld for privacy, and the stranger in the ER.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Baby He-Man

I am raising a baby He-Man. Noel's newest word is meat. That's right, he asks specifically for meat when being fed. I noticed this when he was eating spaghetti last night. If he was offered a bite with noodles, he looked at me plaintively and said "meat, meat." So I picked out a chunk of hamburger, and he gobbled it right up.
After he finished his meal o'meat, we headed outside to water the garden. Mr. Independence was following me around the house. I looked back over my shoulder to make sure he hadn't decided to go somewhere else, and there he went with a plastic chair completely extended above his head walking along like he was getting paid to move the pool furniture. Granted it was a child -sized molded plastic chair, but still! That was one of those "wish I had my camera" moments because I swear that was the funniest sight. I started laughing, he threw the chair off to the side and made for his talking lawn mower leading the way to the garden.