A Whole Lotta Drew...

We have had a busy past week or so. It seems like I have a lot to pack into one post. :) I have gone back to work part time for The Bank of Fayetteville. So Drew and I spent last week in Fayetteville. I worked at the bank and Drew spent some quality time with Grampy and Grammy. We will see how I can handle working from home with an almost 2 yr old!

If you have eaten a meal with Drew, then you can hear him saying, "mmmmm."

He had a big time playing in the yard yesterday afternoon. We were out there almost two hours!

Tired after a couple of hours of playing hard. :)

Drew was happy to see his daddy last night! After dinner, he drank his milk while watching football with his daddy. It reminded me of a picture when he was much smaller.

September '10

January '09

Labor Day Weekend

We had a great Labor Day weekend! We left on Friday for Houston to stay with the Stroh's. It was great to see the boys together again. Friday night we had takeout from Pappasito's, our favorite Mexican restaurant from Houston. Saturday, we left Drew with Nate and Kim and headed to Marble Falls just outside of Austin for our friend Vani's wedding. It was fun to catch up with some friends and spend some time with Hal. Sunday we spent a few hours in Austin and then headed back to Houston.

Nate and Kim were brave enough to take all 3 boys to the grocery store!

Hal giving the boys "tickle bombs"

The best picture we got of the happy couple. Congrats Tim and Vani!

Our placecards....

We had breakfast at the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls. Yum!

Of course our trip through Austin wouldn't have been complete without a look at the stadium.

Thanks Nate and Kim for helping us out this weekend!

I could not write this post without mentioning that my husband was beside himself with happiness when he got the text from my dad on Saturday night that Ole Miss had been beat by Jacksonville State.

Anxiety

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

It is isn't something I have battled all my life, but in the last few years it seems that I face anxiety and fear often. Worrying about Hal when he traveled turned into worrying about selling a house turned into stressing over my pregnancy to then stressing A LOT of things once I was a mom. Sadly, these are just a few of the things that I can find myself lost in worry over. The verse above is a reminder to me that I have been set free from worry and fear. Christ has set me free. I can rest in the fact that God is in control. I make a choice to let anxiety and fear control me. God's choice for me is to be free from these things and to rest in Him.

Praying I make that choice today!

H-A-T

Drew has really been into hats lately. I picked this army helmet up the other day and it has been the new favorite. We have had a long few days without AC, but are glad to have it back on! Drew was quite the trooper through the heat. Momma was not quite as great! :)

Random Friday

1) Hello Random Friday....it has been awhile. Welcome back. :)

2) Drew and I were so excited to take Paw Paw out for lunch today. Not that we wouldn't be normally excited, but getting to take him out today is a really big deal!! He had his last appointment with his transplant doctor here in Jackson this morning and they released him! Since his bone marrow transplant, he has been unable to eat at restaurants and has to be very cautious about being in public due to germ exposure. He has been looking forward to his 100th day just before Labor Day, but he was released five days early.

3) Mother's Morning Out went really well this week. When I dropped him off on Thursday, he took his teacher's hand and walked right in without any tears! I was able to get a lot of errands done. Both days I spent some time at a coffee place with my Bible and my journal. It was nice to be able to sit for as long as I wanted!

4) Look a this big boy sitting in the swing all by himself. The last few afternoons have been a little cooler and it has been nice to get back outside and enjoy his play set.

5) I have start couponing this summer and I am finally starting to see the results. Our grocery bill has really gone down and I am saving big money on personal care and household items. Last week I got over $60 worth of items at Walgreens for $20. We will see how long I can keep it going.

Have a great weekend!

Girls, Painting, and Potato Head

Drew and I have had a busy couple of weeks! Grammy and Aunt K came to visit for a few days. I didn't manage to get a picture of them together. It was great to have them here. We spent time cooking, shopping, laughing, and playing with Drew! Thanks to the help of Aunt K, my freezer is stocked with meatballs, Chicken Spaghetti, and Gumbo. I think I could get used to the idea of paying for the groceries and someone else cooking. :) Last Tuesday night we had a full house! My friend Christi and her girls came up from Florida to spend a few days with us. Mom and Kathy left on Wednesday morning. It was fun to see the girls and Drew play together and it was great to spend some QT with Christi.

Drew and his girlfriends

This has also been a busy week! Drew started Mother's Morning Out yesterday. I have talked about it non-stop since I enrolled him in the spring and have been SO excited about it....until yesterday. I had serious trouble leaving him, but felt better after I picked up and looked back on all I had accomplished in my morning. He seemed to do great as well. He will go on Tuesday and Thursdays. I will have Tuesday for me and Thursday I will go to BSF.

Monday we decided to do a little finger painting. He is pretty funny about having things on his hands, but I think he enjoyed it.

You want me to do what?

This is pretty fun!

But really, get this off my fingers!!

We decided to head outside to get cleaned up. :)

We bought a Mr. Potato Head at Disney when we went in February. He hasn't played with it since the Spring. It was fun to watch him with it this morning. You can really see how much he has changed. This spring, he played with the pieces and didn't really mess with the body. You should have seen some of the creations he came up with today!

Almost 21 Months

Forgive this video. It isn't really full of anything exciting, but I thought the grandparents would like it. :) I love toys that they play with for a long time and aren't just for one stage. He has played with this basketball goal since last summer. I also love to see how his play changes. At first he just played with the basketballs at the bottom and now he has to wait until he hears just the right song and then takes off dancing! It seems like a good number of the pictures I have taken lately have just been in his diaper. Forgive us, but it has been HOT. ;)

One of these days I am going to print out my blog in a book since this is the only scrapbook I will probably ever finish! Mom bought me digital scrapbooking software which I really need to use again! Anyway, I wanted to put up a few milestones for Drew so I will have them for whatever becomes the scrapbook. :)

Drew-

At almost 21 months here are a few things you have been up to:

- To say you love Elmo is the understatement of the century! You say the word "Elmo" about 500 times a day. You can pick Elmo out from a long way away in a store and you let everyone know when you do.

- You are quite the dancer. You and momma have a dance party to praise music almost every day in your room.

- You are wearing 24 month/2T clothes and a size 5 diaper. I am not sure about your height or weight, but I know you are growing. Before we left for Arkansas in June you could easily walk underneath the bar in the kitchen. We quickly learned when we got home in July that you could not walk underneath it and you have learned to run WAY around it so not to bump your head.

- You love to color. Including the wall in the hall that mama managed to clean up.

- Lately you have loved playing with Mega Blocks. You can sit in the floor and put them together and take them apart for almost 10 minutes. That is a long time for you to play with one toy!

-We were happy to drop you off at Sunday School last week with NO TEARS! You have had a difficult time adjusting to new surroundings at church, but are doing much better.

-You love to hold momma and da's hand when we pray and you always give us a good AMEN.

You are fully of energy and are learning something new everyday. Da and I can't wait to see how God is going to use your energy and desire to learn in the future!

Mickey Mouse

August '09 9 months

February '09 15 months

August '10 21 months

Splash Pad Fun

Drew and I went to a Splash Park really close to our house this morning. To say he loved it was an understatement! I am not sure he stood still for more than two seconds the whole time we where there.

So excited!

Wa Wa...Momma! He kept saying it over and over again.

Father's Day...A Month Late

We left for Fayetteville the afternoon of Father's Day and I never had a chance to share about what a great day we had! My mom and dad were here for the weekend. We went to church that morning and than Hal's family joined us for a Father's Day lunch. It was such a great afternoon and yet another reminder of why we wanted to be closer to family. It was so much fun to have them all in our house!

Hal got MS State Tervis tumblers for Father's Day and I added a few Arkansas ones just to balance out our collection.

I forgot to take a picture of them until late in the day. Little man was sooo tired and would rather watch TV than take a picture. :)

Drew (before his haircut...look at those curls) and his cousins Jessica and Madison.

Ed, Drew, Robbie, and Randy

Poor Shannon had to read the Elmo book

I guess lunch and chasing Drew made Jess tired. :) Ha!

What a Wedding!

We got home late last night after a wonderful wedding weekend for my friend Sarah (more on that later). Hal took Drew and I to Fayetteville on July 9th so that Hal and I could go to a wedding shower for Sarah and Jay. Drew and I stayed and Hal came home. He joined us again in Fayetteville on the 22nd. It seemed like we were apart FOREVER and he was sure missing his little man. It was precious to see Drew with him. He had really missed his "Da!" Our time in Fayetteville always seems like it goes so fast and we never get to do all we want to do. Little man's days were filled by seeing family, playing outside, and eating tomatoes from Grampy's garden!

Loving his new car

Working on a popsicle.

I didn't take that great of pictures from the weekend. I wish I had carried my camera around more! Friday we had the bridesmaid luncheon and rehearsal dinner and the wedding was on Saturday. It was beautiful and Sarah was gorgeous.

A pic of Sarah and I before we got dressed.

Sarah and Jay leaving the church under the traditional sword arch.

I didn't manage to get a pic of Hal and I until the very end of the day. I am as tired as I look. :)

Heading Home

Hal, Drew, and I are heading home tomorrow after a longer than expected and emotional trip to Arkansas. My grandmother Marie, my dad's mom, passed away at 1:45 am on Tuesday morning. She had been in hospice care since the previous Thursday. After battling Alzheimer's the last few years, her health had really gotten bad over the last 3 months as she faced a stroke, breaking a hip, and finally internal bleeding. It is a relief to know that she is with Jesus and isn't struggling to piece together memories or dealing with any pain. The visitation was Thursday night and the funeral was Friday morning.

I have been blown away by the love of our family and friends over the last week or so. I think that after living away for 4 years I have a much deeper appreciation for family than I would if we had never left. Don't get me wrong, God has blessed us with people who have treated us like family in the places we have been, but there is nothing like being loved on by your family. You can call them at 7:00 in the morning and ask them to watch your son with only a few minutes notice. You can call and tell them you just need someone to sit with you while you wait on God's timing or ask them to bring you a loaf of bread! You can make a phone call and bare your soul and know they don't think less of you no matter what you say. You have a history with them. You don't have to explain anything. Sometimes words aren't even necessary. A hug or a look into their eyes says it all. Thank you to all who have loved on us in the last week. We needed to be propped up by prayers, kind words, and compassion. And you came through with flying colors.

Drew has been a trooper for the past two weeks. He has been passed around to several houses, missed naps, stayed up late, stayed quiet at the hospital and much more. I know he is ready to get back to his routine!

Hal has also been a trooper! Drew and I left with my parents on Father's Day. He drove up on the 25th expecting to take us back with him, but we stayed because of my grandmother. He then drove back up late Thursday night to be here for the funeral on Friday. I am blessed to have a man who supports me so much. He never complained one time about all the driving and craziness. Thanks buddy.

Our new way to eat an apple....core and all.

Riding on the mower with Grampy

Court...weren't you supposed to be helping babysit??

Not missing momma one bit! He loved spending time w/ his cousins

Grampy lets him get away with just about anything...as you can see!

Waiting and Praying

Tonight we are waiting on the Lord's timing. My grandmother is in the hospital under the care of the hospice staff. They have told us it could be anytime that she leaves this life and enters eternity in heaven. Our hearts are heavy but anxious for her to be whole again. Anxious for her mind to be sound and no longer confused. Anxious for her body to no longer feel the age and the pain. At 88 years old, she is blessed to have lived the life she has and we are blessed to have had her apart of ours.

Please pray for my family in this waiting time. Pray for my daddy as he loses his mom.

Return of Random Friday on a Monday

1) I felt like sharing a few random things today...so I am taking over Random Friday on Monday.

2) It has been crazy hot here the last week or so. I mean crazy hot. Last Friday Drew and I went to Target after his nap and I am pretty sure I looked like I had just taken a shower when I got out of the car. Black leather seats and black interior, not a good idea in the southern summer heat! I must admit that a little Florida breeze would be nice in the afternoon. But my wonderful Hal, worked in the garage yesterday so I could get the car in. At least it will be cooler when we get in the car to leave!

3) We visited a new church yesterday and Drew didn't do so well so they had to page me (more on that to come) we were walking around the church and found the bookstore/library. I thought that might entertain him for a while, so we are looking at books and a man came up to greet us. He says, "Where did he (Drew) get all that curly blonde hair?" I wanted to cry!!! I LOVE his blonde curls, but that is about the 4th person who has said something to be along the same lines. I need to face the reality that my hair isn't blonde anymore and either dye it back blonde or embrace my "strawberry blonde" as everyone calls it.

4) We are really praying for our little man and childcare at church. This is the 2nd Sunday in a row he hasn't done well and VBS didn't go so great last week either. I know it is a phase, but after being out of church for several months we are desperately ready to get back and we want to be able to leave him and know that he will be okay. Please pray for security for him and for wisdom for Hal and I as we choose a church and a preschool ministry for Drew.

5) Speaking of Drew, he is talking up a storm! I hear him say new words every day...yesterday it was apple. Last week as we were driving in the car and listening to one of his Bible CD's, he made me smile. The song about Zaccheus (sorry for the bad spelling) was playing and he started saying the words. For example it says, Zaccheus you come down for I am going to your house today. He would say "down" every time in the song.

6) The 2nd week of swimming lessons went MUCH better than the first. Hoping they get better every week.

7) I am re-reading Elisabeth Elliot's "Let me Be a Woman." I have been so challenged by it the past week. I need to write a post in the next few days about it...somebody remind me if I forget.

8) Mom and Dad are coming down on Wednesday. Originally it was Friday, then Thursday, now Wednesday. I expect to see them tomorrow. Drew and I will go back with them early next week.

Have a great week!

Glad

I hate to overdo the "I am so glad to be close to family posts," but I am so glad to be close to family! What a treat it was for us today to be able to run down to Laurel and back. We are used to family visits being planned weeks or months in advance and they required plane tickets or LONG car rides. I love being able to hop in the car and go. Hal needed to help out in the yard and Drew and I got to spend time with Maw Maw and Paw Paw and pick blueberries from the bushes in the front yard. Hal's dad is doing great! He has handled all of his treatment so well.

This is about the best picture I was able to get. I couldn't set my bucket down for long or someone attacked it.

Friday night we got him this water table for the back patio and it was a hit! I wanted something that he could play with on the patio to keep him out of the sun but that would be cool on a hot afternoon. Little man is a lot like his momma and does not handle the heat well. His poor little face gets so red and he breaks out in a awful heat rash. We have discovered over the last few weeks that he can't wear anything with polyester in it while it is so hot. He had an awful rash all over his chest and back but seems to be better since we switched to 100% shirts.

AMEN

Our food has been VERY blessed the last few days. One of the best things about being in our house is that Hal's commute is much shorter. We have enjoyed getting to eat dinner as a family more often. We hold hands and pray each night. Drew has started reaching for our hands as soon as I get him in the chair. We say a prayer and then shortly after we start eating he is ready to bless it again! This video is him saying his own prayer, with a few bites of cheese in between. Seeing how he picks up on this has been a huge encouragement to make sure that I am speaking of the Lord and praying often. Little eyes are watching!!

A little of this and a Little of That

The title of this post is exactly what we have been up to lately! Last Thursday we went down to Louisiana for Jessica's graduation. It is crazy to me that she graduated from high school! In some ways I want to forever remember her as the 13 year old she was when I met her the summer Hal and I started dating, but she isn't that girl anymore. She is 18...almost 19 and about to start college. I have been one blessed aunt to have the friendship with her that I do. I love that she can call me laughing or crying. I love that she calls me at all! She is funny and genuine and loves big. Congrats Jess! Love you!

Jess and her daddy

Giving her valedictorian speech ( Sorry for the tiny pics. I was chasing around little man, so I stole these of facebook.)

Drew ran up and sat in her lap during the ceremony...opps!

Little man outside of this yogurt place we found. It is kind of like Subway, but frozen yogurt! You pick from 8 or so flavors and then add your own toppings. Yum!

We put him a booster chair for the first time....he is getting to be such a big boy!

Hal was off Thursday and Friday for Graduation and then Monday for Memorial Day. The reality of living in a new place hit me square in the face on Tuesday morning when he left for work. After having my parents, Kim and the boys, and then Hal home for a long weekend, I was a little spoiled. Yesterday morning I panicked just a wee bit when I thought about having the rest of the week with no plans or scheduled activities!!! I had heard about a Women's Bible Study through Crossgates Baptist Church, so I called about it and we went this morning. It met in someone's home and everyone brought their kiddos. They were so friendly and I can't wait to go back. They also invited us to a play group tomorrow and I volunteered to help with VBS next week. It looks like I now have a few activities!