Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and Slinky Dog...

Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and Slinky Dog have a big announcement...



We're adding a new "toy" to our story!

The last few months have been quite an adventure and God has blessed us with exceedingly more: a ministry position that we didn't apply for, selling our house before we put in on the market, and now we're expecting a baby that we didn't expect. God's plans are never ours and, yet, His ways and His timing are always perfect. It's easy to forget that in the lows and the valleys of life, but He is truly good and faithful in it all. We have absolutely no preference about who this little "character" might be but we can't wait for the day that we find out who God had planned for our family from the beginning and, of course, we already love them "to infinity and beyond."

I'm just a few days shy of 12 weeks. The first trimester has been difficult. This has been the most nauseous I've been with any of the pregnancies, but each pregnancy is different and also I'm keeping up with two busy boys this time. I have had major, major food aversions. I still cannot stomach chicken or turkey (sometimes I can hardly look at it), and there were a few weeks that all I could manage to eat were fruit smoothies and any form of potato with ketchup on it. Mr. Potato Head seemed like the appropriate toy to represent baby #3,  for that reason! All of the challenging moments are so far outweighed by the prize at the end, but I always enjoy recording the specifics of each baby and the things that were unique to them. It's the beginning of their story (as silly or insignificant to others as those little details might seem), and it makes me feel close to this little blessing from the beginning. We have some strong "J" name contenders. If this should be our last baby, we didn't want baby #3 to be left out with two other baby J's in our world.  I am feeling blessed and excited about all that's ahead... I'm happy to finally be able to share the news on the blog and with friends that we've been keeping this secret from for a few months now: plus it's not easy to keep a secret with a four year that thinks sharing secrets "make people happy" and a tummy that's growing faster than ever!

Pumpkins and Peaches

I'm trying to be more timely with posting on the blog! Today we had a fun day with Daddy off all day long and no events going on tonight, so we decided to make the most of it. We had a hankering for peaches (and fried pies and homemade ice cream) so we took a trip to Peach Park in Clanton while we are still living relatively close. The dessert is amazing! And we loved the playground too, especially the barn with giant slides. We also took the boys to pick out a pumpkin to decorate/carve (we're going to save that for another day!). We just stopped by a local church's patch today because we are going to be going to another one with more activities for kids with Nana, Grandpa, Aunt Leah, and cousins next weekend when they are in town. I mostly just wanted some pictures of them playing in the pumpkins today, and I think I got some pretty sweet ones with two very busy boys.

Peach Park!

September Happenings

I wanted to be more detailed in sharing our good news but (some news is better than super detailed news!) at the end of August a church in our area got Stephen's information from a mutual friend that knew we were looking for a full-time church position. Within about a week of this first initial contact, Stephen had accepted the position for a student/associate pastor at The Church of Chelsea-Westover. Pastor Danny (and his wife!) is/will be such a blessing to us. He has served as a pastor, president and dean at several colleges, and his heart's desire is to mentor young pastors. He is a true shepherd and loves people. We are going to learn so much from him, and we are so grateful for this opportunity. It was just a perfect fit for us and we knew that from the beginning. Less than a week after accepting the position, our house sold before we even put it on the market! God's hand was just all over this whole situation and we praise Him for giving us a church position that we didn't apply for and selling a house that we didn't list. He has been so good to us and given us exceedingly more!

Needless to say, we have been so busy with the new position and looking for a house. Our house will close on November 7th and we will be moving into our new house about 10 minutes from the church (right now our commute is closer to forty minutes).

Here are a few pictures from this past month, a mix of family and ministry (although I didn't even have a change to photograph half of what we've done) mostly on my iphone:

Talk Like a Pirate Day at Krispy Kreme. We got four free dozens but gave most away. James did not react well to them (lots of chemicals he can't have) so that will probably be our last time but still a fun experience dressing up. 

Previewing the lake with Pastor Danny and Susan before the Youth Lake Day the following weekend.

Last swim at our neighborhood pool on Labor Day. 

Dreamland with Nana!

James and some of the other younger siblings of youth at Lake Day being pulled on the Dragon. He was so brave and loved it.

James is loving our homeschool preschool. The All About Reading program (my sweet friend, Erin, let me borrow most of it and we just bought the consumables) is amazing!

Cardboard Box fun

Youth Service Day on the Ice Cream Truck - a great evangelism tool for our church.

Ice cream truck with a few of our youth!

I just loved their bed heads this day!

Big Machines doing construction at our park is always welcomed by our boys. :)

A volcano experiment!

Chelsea High School Homecoming game!

I had to snap a picture of the fact that one of my children fell asleep in a church crib/pack-n-play. They are not laid back sleepers, by any means, but this is how exhausted we all are this month!

McWane with Nana and Grandpa. 

James was a "safety officer" in a combustion experiment at the McWane Center. 

Yes, that is James' little hand holding the burning stick on the other side of this sweet lady conducting the experiment! 

James at 4 1/2 and Jude at 15 months

I have been the world's worst blogger lately. I'm not sure anyone is still reading out there, but I started this whole blogging journey to document important happenings in our lives and especially with our kids so I hate that I'm not able to do it more. And, yet, I'm trying to find a balance between the demands of life and just being present in the places and with the people that God has me. With all of that to say, I hope to post soon about so many unexpected blessings that we have received recently but until then a quick post before anymore time passes to document life with James at 4 1/2 and Jude at 15 months.

Jude was 15 months on September 7 (he turned 16 months old this week):

Wearing: some 12 month clothing and some 18 month cloth; size 4 diapers; size 6 in shoes

Growth: At his 15 month appointment he weighed 24 pounds 2 ounces and was 21.5 inches (both around the 75%). People comment that he seems bigger than James, but looking back at James information at 15 months they are right around the same size. 

Sleeping: He cut down to one nap a day around 15 months but will occasionally take two if he falls asleep in the car if we are out in the morning or if he woke up really early (usually due to cutting molars). 

Eating: He eats all table food. He is getting a little pickier than he used to be, but will still eat a wide variety. He especially likes cheese, noodles, fruit, and he loves cookies. He is my little cookie monster and think he should get a cookie at the end of the meal (we don't even put dessert where he can see it or there is no hope of him eating his dinner!)

Personality: Content, easy-going, extremely active, fearless, playful, independent, rough, and sneaky. He is into everything now (pulling out cookie sheets, climbing furniture, digging in the trash, dumping all the toys out, etc. We desperately need to invest in baby gates asap.) He is starting to have some little fits lately when things don't go his way but they are mild and totally age-appropritate. 

Teething: He had 11 teeth at 15 months (and now has 12!).  

Look: big brown eyes and curly brown hair. :) I'm crazy about his curls. 

New "Tricks": He is talking lots and repeating everything. He likes to "dance" (bounce) and sings several songs:  the "nananana" part on "Hey Jude" and I heard him singing the Paw Patrol theme song this morning (just the sounds). He is walking well now (since around 14 months) and moves quickly to keep up with his brother. If he falls down he just gets right back up with no tears. He also shakes his head up and down for "yes" and back and forth for "no" too - it's really cute. He has also starting moving cars and planes through the air and imitating the sounds that he has heard James make for all the various modes of transportation. He has also started to point to some of his body parts (belly, teeth, head, nose, hands, etc.). He loves to clap his hands and imitates that when others "clap" or if he hears someone say "clap your hands" he will do it. He is a major climber and just into everything. He has also tried to eat with utensils several times and pretend to shoot a basketball. He is just a little imitator right now. He also likes to take things in and out of containers (making him a naturally good cleaner-up for right now.) It's a busy, fun age!

Likes: playing, being on the go and into everything, eating, bath time, his tooth brush, being outside, anything that James is doing is where he wants to be, flipping through books and dumping out puzzles, and he still loves dogs! Dislikes are being stopped from all of his adventures and being left in the church nursery

Jude, I can't even imagine life without you, stinker bear. You just bring a whole different element of joy and uniqueness to this family that we wouldn't have otherwise. Oh, how I want to just savor these baby days with you, sweet boy but they are going by so much faster than I'd ever like. I praise God for your life and everything you are. You are loved forever!

James was 4 1/2 on August 5:

I can't believe that in a few months we will have a five year old. I feel like he was just born, but I imagine that's how everyone feels about their firstborn child. Four and half is wonderful and challenging and a million other adjectives all rolled into one. James is bright, witty, compassionate, but strong-willed beyond belief. He has really been testing us this year at times, but then we have the sweetest moments together too. He is extremely active (sometimes hyper at times) and he described the struggle well the other day with one of my favorite sayings of his to date: "I try to be good but it's so hard because life never stops. It just keeps squeezing out more days." The struggle is real. The desire to want to do "good" but struggling to do that at times. What an opportunity to pray for your child's soul and salvation as you see the spiritual battle right before your eyes. Oh, parenting is not easy. But was it ever supposed to be? There are so many opportunities to learn, pray, and grow (for him and us!) James is still my one-of-a-kind child. There is just no one quite like him, and I hope he will embrace that always. He is serious but silly all rolled into one, and he likes what he likes (he's not very influenced by trends or what everyone else is embracing around him). His compassion for others has brought me to tears lately: for a boy at church that is unable to walk or talk (he approached his parents without me knowing it to tell them how sorry that he was) and crying for a boy that we met at the library who did not have a mother or a father. But before you hear me saying my child is perfect, he's the same little boy that decided to let down the valve on the huge pitcher of water at church "to make a waterfall too..." oh, it's challenging and blissful this parenting journey, isn't it? James, we love you precious child. I can't imagine the last four and half years without you. The world is a better place because you are in it, and I'm so glad that you are my sweet boy. I love you forever!

About his physical look: He's still long lean (about 37 pounds and 42.5 inches, unofficially, this week), blonde hair that's darkening just a little all the time, and big blue eyes. He wears 11-12 in shoes (depending on the shoe) and size 4 or 5 in clothing.

And a few of his favorites as he dictated to me in our bi-yearly "interview":

Colors: Blue, Green, and Purple
Animal: Tiger
TV Show: Daniel Tiger and (most recently) Paw Patrol
Food: Turkey and Cheese, PB & J, and Rocket Soup (vegetable soup)
Drink: Water ("it's healthy!")
Breakfast Food: Pancakes and Orange Rolls
Outfit: Lightning and Mater Shirt, shorts with pockets
Toys: cars or ipad (which belongs to Daddy!)
best friend: Jude
favorite holiday: Christmas and Halloween "because I get to dress in costumes"
place to go: zoo and beach
favorite resteraunt: zoe's and Japanese "because they cook in front of you"
where do you want to go on vacation?: Beach, Disney, Lego Land
what do you want to be when you grow up: Police Officer ("to shoot people if they speed on my road...!") Oh my! Definitely a first-born, rule guy...we're working on it!


Thank you, Jesus, for these sweetest boys! I'm so glad they are mine!

one of my favorite pictures of James at (almost) 4.5

I had to document that Jude constantly takes his diaper off at this age. It's out of control.

This is the best I was able to do at 15 months. I'm going to have to get them some professional photos soon!

Happy Half Birthday, James!