controller...

We got Daddy a remote control stunt car for Father's Day, but I've pretty much taken it over. :)


Hmmm... let me see here...


And remember Mommy's group of pastor's wives that hiked Sharp Top Mountain together last month? Well, at their meeting THIS month, they had our own music festival! :)


"Come Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace..."


(Now come on, Caroline, we weren't THAT bad!) :)

photos...

A friend/former student of ours (who is a photographer) came back into town & had dinner with our family last week. It was great to see her & get caught up on her life, and at the end of our meal, she asked if we'd like to do a quick, spur-of-the-moment "photoshoot!" (and you know we couldn't turn that one down! Thank you, Ashley!) Thought we'd share a few of our favorites from the bunch...











he he!

Then we ran out to get some yummy ice cream...

baby fever (literally)...

Well, the title of Mommy's last post was a little ironic because now she's not the only one with baby fever! All day yesterday I was running fevers up to 102.4!


Thankfully I haven't been too lethargic, but I am taking it a little easier. I haven't quite figured out how to show Mommy & Daddy where I'm in pain, so they are trying to figure out if it's a case of bad teething, (could it be my 2 year molars ALREADY? you know how I am with getting teeth early...) an ear infection, sore throat/cold, etc.


And one way I'm taking it easier is begging Mommy & Daddy to watch THIS video all the time! It's my favorite & I love to dance & try the gestures!


Since my fever went down to normal this morning & I felt a little better, I took the initiative to "help" sort clothes at our neighborhood yard sale. :)

Hopefully THIS case of baby fever will stay away...

baby fever...

You know those times where it seems like everyone around you is either in some stage of pregnancy or having a baby?? We've just rejoiced to hear that two couples of our former RUF students are pregnant, and other former students are already enjoying their newborns! What a delight to our hearts to watch our former students grow in grace as they tackle new frontiers like marriage & parenthood! We also have friends our age who are expecting their 2nd & 3rd children soon, and some of these friends already have children Caroline's age or younger.

I've gotta admit that B.C. (Before Caroline), every pregnancy announcement or baby shower invite was like a stab in the heart for me. It was REALLY a struggle to get outside of my own pain of infertility and be genuinely happy for someone else at such an exciting time in their life. (I'm sure that my friends were probably all tip-toeing around me so as to be sensitive to my feelings, for which I feel terrible!) Why not me, God? Why is it so easy for everyone else? It's not fair that even our students are getting married AND having babies in the time that I'm trying every awful fertility treatment known to mankind & spending who knows how much money only to get another "negative."

But it's only through God's work in my heart and life that NOW when I hear pregnancy news among friends and family, I am genuinely happy! Praise God! I haven't felt those overwhelming pangs of hopelessness and bitterness like I used to.

But our hearts are so complex, aren't they? So instead of anger, bitterness, and despair, now I find myself facing my own feelings of covetousness, discontent, and some good ole fashioned baby fever of my own. :)

I've hesitated for awhile to make my feelings so public. After all, I really am totally content with God's plan for me to become a new mom at the age of 31 when most everyone around me is on their 2nd or 3rd child. And I've shared numerous times on this blog how it's THROUGH all the failed infertility treatments that He brought us the greatest blessing and gift into our life-- our sweet Caroline. And if she is the only child that we ever have, I pray that we will be content with that as well.

But we find ourselves praying for another adoption in God's timing. Now I'm NOT saying I'm ready for a 2nd baby in this house next month (Lord knows that my hands are completely full with this amazing little toddler that we've already got!) But oh, to see Caroline be able to be a big sister one day! Could it happen again, God? I mean, our situation with Megan was UNBELIEVABLE and we couldn't have asked for anything more wonderful. But AGAIN?? Is it even possible? (And of course I KNOW that with God, all things are possible... and I KNOW that He is in control over everything, and I KNOW He will provide every good gift in His perfect timing... but many times we've got to preach the truth to our hearts, don't we?)

So there it is. Praying that at some point God would lead us AGAIN to another amazing birthmother and allow us the opportunity to love her and love her child and adopt him/her into our family. (and if it's not meant to be, may we be content with all that he HAS given to us!) Thanks for joining with us in prayer!

one, two, buckle my...

Oh how I love to fill in the blank these days! Wanna hear a little? I now present to you a few recitations I'm working on:

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
God is so Good
Moo, Moo Brown Cow

I'm also pretty good at "Hop on Pop" but that didn't make it onto the video. :)

(Sorry it's a tad long! Oh, and at the beginning is where Mommy caught me talking to myself when I woke up from my nap the other day...)

father's day take 2...

Last Father's Day, I was hitting the beach for the very first time! Yep, that little person there in the middle is me. Can ya believe it?!


This Father's Day... how 'bout a key in your eye, Daddy?


Daddy, I've been practicing to be one classy girl in my high heels.


We had a blast this weekend hosting our sweet student, Lindsay!


Let's hear it for all the dads in our lives! We love you!

Oh, and guess what? For Mommy's birthday, Daddy got her a new fancy photo software program that is going to take her HOURS to figure out & learn, but after plunking away on it for a few minutes tonight, look what she did to that last photo! (okay, not quite professional yet or anything, but hmmm... this could get really fun!)

ing...

Dreaming.


Sitting.


Playing.


Singing. :)

week in review...

This past week...

Our future RUF intern, Elizabeth Parker, (who goes by "Parker," and I affectionately like to call "Pop-ee") made her first visit to Lynchburg! We had fun hosting her, showing her around the town, & searching for apartments. She'll be moving here (from South Carolina) in August to begin a 2-year internship & we're excited!


We got the bathroom shower tiled, grouted, & sealed! Daddy also put in the sink!


I got a little crafty & stamped a card to send to my birthmommy Megan. (hope I didn't just ruin the surprise! We are just waiting on our pictures to develop to send along to you!)


We had summer RUF at our house, and Mommy couldn't resist capturing the guys cleaning the kitchen afterwards! :) (that's Tim, our unofficial/volunteer RUF intern who is showing off his killer strength with the 409 bottle)


It was a pretty good week around here! Hope yours was, too!

sweet 16...

At 16 months...

-I say the word "Bobby" for "Bible," "pea" for "please," & "woah" for "video."
-You'll be my best friend if you'll blow bubbles for me.
-If I want to communicate something, I will repeat a word over and over until you acknowledge it. (ex. BUBBLE, PO [cantalope], JU [juice], CH [chip])


-I'd MUCH rather put on Mommy's shoes than keep my own on!
-I still don't like the "muh" (vacuum) or green beans.
-I love to use a spoon to eat. It works well for awhile until I decide using my fingers is quicker.
-I'm figuring out how to climb up on chairs & furniture.
-There is a path of disaster everywhere I go... Mommy heard once that "you can either raise kids or keep house." This is becoming quite true. :)


-I like to put on Daddy's "haa" and then try to put it back on him.
-I can say all of my grandparent's names & my cousin Lala ("yah-yah") & I just added my cousin "Tyson" into my repertoire.
-Favorite things to do: play outside, climb up and down stairs, go on walks, bubbles, DANCE to music!, read books, "draw", watch videos, make animal sounds, swim, try out new skills like walking backwards or spinning around, & take things out of a box and put them back in.

Speaking of boxes...

Sure I'm alot like other 16 month olds, but that doesn't mean you have to put me in a box! ;-)

p.s. Happy 1 month birthday, cousin Erik!

potential future career paths #6...

It's that time again! Time to ponder what it is that I want to do with my life. Hmm, perhaps...


Full-time nanny or stay-at-home-mom.


Professional mover.


A trapeze artist.


Couch potato.


Disgruntled florist.


???? Let's hear your ideas & we'll pick a winner!

dress from mamie...

Thank you for sending me this beautiful dress, Mamie!


I love it! See?


And as pretty as the pictures turned out, the reality is that after a long morning at church & a picnic for lunch, this little baby's got to get some sleep... :)