the tradition continues...

Even though we've moved across town this Halloween, the trick-or-treating tradition with Leah HAD to go on!

 Halloween 2008: 8 months old and brand new friends

Halloween 2009: 1 year old

 Halloween 2010: 2 years old

Halloween 2011: 3 years old

Halloween 2012: 4 years old

Halloween 2013: 5 years old

And Halloween 2014: 6 years old!

(Without any planning, they were sisters Anna & Elsa from Disney's movie, "Frozen")











What a joy to see these girls grow each year!

everybody's got somethin'...

(Quick update from the last post: our "superman," Jameson, is feeling SO much better today now that the antibiotics are in full swing!)

happy girl

We finally got the cast!  And it's pink (of course)!

Since it'll only be two weeks before the pins come out, the doctor gave us the option of wrapping her arm back up with a splint and ace bandages.

Watching Caroline's face as the doctor presented that option, I could tell there was NO WAY we were leaving that office without a pink cast.  NO WAY.

the love of Jameson's life

 There was also NO WAY Jameson was going to leave that doctor's office without his own nurse buddy, too!   (ha ha!)

 He clung SO tightly to her leg when it was time to go- must have been love at first sight.  This sweet nurse literally CARRIED HIM OUT TO OUR CAR and buckled him in before he fell into a thousand pieces when she said goodbye.

sweet friends

 Caroline's loving her pink cast!  And she's handling the challenge of living one-handed like a champ.  I'm so incredibly proud of her.  (I'd be whining up a STORM.)

Seriously, not one complaint.

I can't help but wonder if it's because her sweet friend at school lives without a hand, but still amazes everyone with all that she's able to do!

enjoying the hay ride on the class field trip

 In fact, coming home from the ER the night of the accident, Caroline insightfully said, "Now I'm going to be more like M!"

I couldn't be more grateful for my daughter to have a friend like M.  They came into kindergarten together, and they've been a beautiful encouragement to one another.

We talk alot in our family about how "everybody's got something."
God makes everybody with unique gifts and challenges.

Sometimes it's easy to see how we're different, like having alopecia or missing a hand, and sometimes people have things that aren't so easily visible, but one thing is for sure: EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMETHIN'.

 Speaking of handling our differences, 

the week after her accident, 

Caroline asked me to write out her thoughts on alopecia into a booklet.  Oh man, you can't imagine how happy it made this mama's heart to hear:  

"I like alopecia!  

But sometimes I wish I had hair.

Sometimes I have to itch my head.

"At school everybody still likes me, even with alopecia.

Sometimes I wear a wig to school or out places.  I have a brown wig.  I'm getting a blonde wig for Halloween to be with my Elsa dress.  Elsa is a character in Frozen.

Sometimes I feel fun with alopecia.  Mommy likes to feel my smooth head.  My family thinks I'm special.  Sometimes for dress up I wear my wig.  

I feel very happy with alopecia.  It doesn't matter if I have alopecia because I'm still special. 

 "Song:

I feel very special.

I turn my back on Satan.

My heart unfolds when I see God.

I will try to obey the Ten Commandments.

I feel wonderful.

I know I'm special.

God thinks I'm special, too."

(gotta love their train of thought!)

 Alopecia still has it's days.  It still has it's ups and downs.  At times it feels like an extra person we carry into public with us.

It's a battle we're called to normalize.  

But after my own year-long struggle to accept alopecia when Caroline was first diagnosed, I can't tell you how relieving and amazing it feels to see my daughter finding confidence, approval, and strength in her own uniqueness.

Both of my kids will face challenges in being different.  Jameson will face the unique issues of being a transracial adoptee with white parents.

We're learning to be okay with our differences 

and embrace them as who we are.

We're learning that life's not all about 

looking like we have it together,

and God uses our differences to strengthen us.

It's these differences that also help us relate to others, too.  

Because, after all,

everybody's got somethin'.

river rats...

Marc was asked to preach at a church a couple of hours away, which allowed our family the opportunity to spend a quick overnight with dear friends.

 Friends who just happen to live on the river, too!

We made some memories together.

 Helping Daddy paddle.

I could see the excitement on her face.

Time to get out and wade in!

 Whatcha think, Jameson?

Caroline found some pieces of old pottery in the river.

 Learning to float the river...

 (proof that I was there...)

She figured it out!   Let the river do the work!

 Jameson enjoyed some floating of his own.

 Check out the tiny baby frogs!!

A great afternoon on the river.

An ever greater visit with friends.

but first...

Before I show you all of the birthday festivities, you've gotta see the un-birthday first!

UN-birthday, you ask?  Yes, yes!

If you've been around for some time now, you know it's become a long-standing tradition between Caroline and her best friend, Leah.

Leah's birthday is on February 16th.  Caroline's is on February 18th.

So that naturally makes February 17th the UN-birthday!

And we think that's reason to celebrate.  :)  See the tradition here.

Caroline's last day of being five.  (sniff sniff!)

Leah is a proud six!

This year I bought these two matching shirts, appropriate for their little personality together:  "The Princess Has Arrived."  :)  They were ecstatic to be matching.


(I love how they naturally stuck their bellies OUT as far as they could to model their shirts.  Because when you're my age, you're doing everything you can to suck it IN!  ha!)

 These two have NO shortage of energy together.

And there's certainly no shortage of love, either.

his first halloween...

Well, I'm in Dallas with my dad.  It's been too crazy, busy, and too emotionally exhausting to write.  Today was a BIG day, though.  A game changer.  After 7 long days, he's finally out of ICU.  I'm sure I'll type more at some point, but not now.  I'm just glad he's resting in his own private hospital room tonight.  That was a HUGE answer to prayer.  Thank you, God.   Thank you, friends, for praying on his behalf.

So I promise to update more soon, but thought I'd share pictures from the night before I left.

Jameson's first Halloween.


A puppy dog and a ballerina.


Watch out, there goes the puppy!


Can you believe this is the 6th Halloween together for these girls?!


Don't you love the Mary Poppins costume on Leah's mommy?


But if you're talking cuteness, I believe this guy wins all the awards.


Sweet little face.


These two are inseparable.  I can't begin to tell you how much Caroline LOOOOOVES her best friend, Leah.  Like a sister.


It was fun trick or treating with two kids this year.  I can't wait until he and Caroline can run from house to house together!  Of course the reality was that this year, Jameson only lasted about half the time before he began melting down in the stroller.  And he didn't get to enjoy any of the "treats" this time.


But there's always next year...

putt putt...

Her first time at putt-putt.




This gal was in town again.  We love her!


And she loves us well.


Daddy was particular on how to swing.


Ahem, very particular.


And she swings...


And she scores!


(as her always-happy brother was content to watch from the stroller)


Sweet memories.