MC Groupie

Our friend Michael sent us a video of him playing some of his music in a coffee house. Too bad he lives in Greenville, SC because he is awesome. Not to mention, LAS loves him. She was being a little fussy and when the music came on she was mesmerized. Please send a CD asap! Ha! She loves music and has some pretty good taste. I mean her first concert was Coldplay (in my belly). Michael's songs are beautiful and his voice is awesome. One day you will all be begging me to help you get tickets to his show. We better get back stage passes. This is my first attempt at posting video so let me know how it turns out. I can't watch it on my computer so I am kind of shooting in the dark. I put a still photo just in case it doesn't work.

Look Ma, No Hands

With all the mass confusion lately, LAS is still managing to amaze us. She is sitting for, I counted, about a couple of minutes by herself. LAS used her high chair to eat dinner last night and tonight. She didn't love it at first, but I think she gets it now. It also helped that Daddy sat next to her while he ate. She also is enjoying her Johnny Jump that Ga Ga gave her. This is a great help for me! We don't have many door frames, so she has to be the laundry room. As soon as she refines her motor skills, she is putting a load on. I mean, she's there already, right.

Loves to sit up.

Standing at her Leap Frog toy.Get in my belly!
Having a blast!

Unbelievable Day

So Wednesday was a nightmare. I am trying not to complain, so we can just laugh about it now. Our little sweet Brooke dog is allergic to fleas and some how got them. We give her medicine, but I got the Hartz kind from the grocery store since I didn't have time to go to the vet. Don't do it. It doesn't work and the vet told me it has killed dogs and cats. Anyway, we took Brooke to the vet and she had hives and infected skin. She spent the day there. I felt bad because she was so excited to be in the car with LAS and me. Sorry. Taking a baby to the vet is not easy by the way. Well she came home with a lamp shade and flea and heart worm meds. We shared those meds with Barkley and the result was not pleasant. Barkley threw up everywhere, diarrheaed everywhere, threw up again, urinated on himself, then hid under the bed in LAS's room. I was terrified. He is my first born. Phillip wasn't home, but I called and he got there pretty quickly. Barkley is ok now. Still not really pumped about the baby. I think he forgets and then remembers and gets mad at me all over again. The fire alarm went off that night at 1:30 and we had to evacuate. False alarm. Then Brooke vomited in her lamp shade the next morning. Could this week please end. Here are some pics of my pathetic babies.

Where Does Time Go

Today is a special day. It is a sad day, but still a day to celebrate the life of someone who is a special person to many people. One year ago today, one of my best friends passed away. We still really don't know why, but her husband says it best: because she had completed what God had planned for her here on Earth. If you knew Carla, you would agree. There isn't a person that I know who is as happy and complete as she was when she died. It is so painful sometimes to think of her not being here, but so amazing to think about where she is now. So much has happened in a year... we moved, had a baby, moved again. I know she would have already been down here to visit. I am grateful that I was able to tell her we were expecting LAS. I sometimes picture us with our girls on walks or playing in the den. It would have been so fun. She always could make you laugh and in the same great conversation, make you think. Carla was an amazing Christian and that makes her death a little easier to handle. If there is an angel up there, it is Carla. I remember the time that Phillip and I visited her and Michael when they had to live in Fargo. I said had because, believe me, it wasn't by choice. The four of us sat up talking about life, Christ, and ironically, death. We could talk about anything. I am so thankful that we have been able to keep some of that relationship alive with her husband, and amzing person/father, Michael. I feel so fortunate to have been challenged by her, put in my place by her, and laughed with her.

After she passed away I realized what an inspiration she was to me. I just wish that it didn't take that for me to understand. I strive for the happiness and the fullness that she felt. Not that I wasn't happy, but just a different level. I knew that my relationship with Christ needed to be strengthened. How was I going to do this? How could I be more like Carla? I recently started reading the book "Life of the Beloved." (still working on it, it is a little difficult to do with a 5 month old) This is when I realized what it was... I am beloved. God has chosen me and loves me. Everything else just falls into place. He has blessed me with an amazing family and wonderful friends, be happy about it. Carla knew that she was chosen and life was good. I thank her for teaching me and helping me.

I have never lost a friend before. It is probably crazy, but I still have a voice message on my phone from her. I have listened to it once. It took a long time to hear her voice, knowing I couldn't talk back to her. We were planning a girl's trip. I think she knows, but the girls came to her that night in the hospital. We all were together one last time. I know she is smiling down on Michael and watching him bring Linen up to be a beautiful little girl. She looks just like her. He is so amazing too and I am so thankful that Phillip and I have shared the time we have with him and we look forward to more. He also can sing like you wouldn't believe! I still have dreams about Carla. In one she brought me up to Heaven and told me that I shouldn't be sad. Things were great up there and she was able to watch over everyone. You wouldn't believe it, but her husband was staying in the same hotel as we were the night I had that dream and we didn't know it. Hundreds of miles away from our homes.

I look forward to the day I can see her again and we can laugh, get up early for a heavenly yard sale, make some homemade goods so we don't have to pay full price for the ones at the store. It's going to be fun.

I miss you dude and only wish you could have known how much you meant to me when you were here. Thank you for being my friend.

"I thank God everytime I remember you." Philippians 1:3

Gina, Me, and Carla May'08

Hiking in Bham

Always making us laugh!

First Date

Ahhh, lima beans and rice cereal. What a delicious meal. LAS had her first dinner date with her friend Anderson. Don't worry it was supervised. This was his first time to try lima beans. LAS is still on rice cereal. He did not like the beans and made himself throw up after eating some. We talked with LAS and she said she would give him another chance as long as he ate something different. :) We had a great time with our friends and it was so fun to see the kids watch eachother as we fed them. They were so interested. LAS is doing so much better eating her cereal. She actually really likes it. I am thinking about trying some oatmeal in the mornings. What do you think? For now, Daddy says no more dates until she is 21.

Not liking the beans!

Hoping he didn't ruin the date. She'll see you again!

5 Months Old

Today LAS is 5 months old. We tried to go to church earlier, but she fell asleep on the way. I think she had some bad dreams last night, so I didn't want to wake her. Has that ever happened to any of you? So I got a biscuit from McDonald's. How horrible is that! It tasted great though. Phillip had to go into work today, so we met him for lunch. Now we are just listening to the thunder and taking it easy. Really avoiding cleaning. Don't tell.

Today you are 5 months old LAS. This is what you are doing:

~Rolling over from both sides

~Sleeping on your tummy at night

~Laughing a lot!

~Walking while holding mommy and daddy's hands

~Eating rice cereal for dinner

~Sleeping through the night (most of the time)

~Grabbing my hair and trying to eat it

~Reaching your hands up for us to pick you up

~Smiling when daddy gets home from work

~Sitting up with very little help

~Being very sweet

Party Girl

Today we attended our first birthday party. It was for Sydney and she turned 3. She had a Peter Pan themed party. Syd's mom, Amber, had the cutest things. She had a teepee for the kids to paint, mermaid lagoon, hunt for buried treasure. It was great! We got to wear our cupcake outfit. Adorable! There were other babies there too and we had fun playing on the floor. She is going to be a social butterfly. LAS loves to be around other people and already dominates conversation. She just loves having fun! It was a fun party, thanks for having us.

Phillip playing the part. Painting the teepee. Tinkerbell
Flying fairy

Trying to eat her hands.