Still here!

Fun friends!

My pretty girl

I can't believe that Christmas is in 6 days! This holiday season is flying by. It has been a joyful one for our family. After having Dan's parents here for Thanksgiving, we decorated the house, have had our house full of almost daily play dates, we've baked, watched Christmas movies, made lots of fires in our fireplace - it has been so fun making memories with our babies.

We will spend Christmas in Alabama and New Year's at the condo in Panama City Beach, Florida. I did the majority of our shopping online and had gifts sent to my folks' house - so now all we have to worry about is packing a couple of suitcases and hitting the road! I am excited. Noah has asked Santa for a trombone and a Redskins jersey and helmet. Ellyotte will be getting some kitty cat toys and baby dolls; she is ALL girl and I love it!

I hope that your Christmas season is filled with all of Christ's joy and blessing. It is more clear this time of year than any other that the real joy of the season is giving - not receiving. We have found such happiness in our sponsored family this year; they are a precious group of people who literally didn't have one warm coat between the four children. The excitement Noah has had buying gifts for his new friends has been priceless to experience. We have learned that while we may not be able to make a change in everyone's sadness and burdens, doing what we can for even one family has allowed our children to begin to see that it is so much more beneficial to GIVE rather than receive.

I promise to post updates more frequently! This term with Troy was a tasking one - I had a full class and a LOT of papers and essays to grade. But, I submitted my final grades and can rest a little bit before Term 3, 2012 starts. Thus, no excuse not to blog more frequently!

We love Daddy!

Noah found the perfect tree

Merry Christmas!

Learning about Jesus's birth

Lots of warm nights by the fire

Our tree

At a friend's Christmas party

My mini-me

3 Minutes.

If you have a few minutes, I encourage you to watch this. I was so moved this morning at church when our pastor said he was at a loss to describe his Savior, then gave way for this pastor - SM Lockridge, many decades ago- to tell of the indescribable love and admiration for his Jesus. We all stood to our feet in praise - the words are exquisite, yet still inadequate.
Enjoy and please share this Christmas season.

A Grateful - and Still - Heart

It is so hard to be still. And because it is hard to be still, it is hard to maintain a constant, grateful heart. But that is what is required of us: God wants us to be still. And he wants us to be thankful - in every circumstance.

In my "Jesus Calling" devotional this morning, that lesson hit home even more with me today. After this past week of having my sweet in-laws in from D.C. for Thanksgiving, I was worn out. I delighted in having them here but having any kind of company with two babies and two animals underfoot all day is exhausting! We made memories, ate great food - all family recipes! - and just had a great week.

This weekend though, I was left depleted with that sadness of a visit ending, and of cooking and cleaning all week. I found myself complaining inside about how tired I was, how weary and FAT I felt from eating all week. And what I discovered was that my griping spirit was not only making Jesus sad but it was making me even more tired.

So last night, Dan and I went to bed early and I focused on just resting. This morning, I took Noah to school, now have Ellyotte down for a nap and I am drinking coffee and just reflecting on the blessings in my life.

Last night as I unwound, I found myself singing the song "Give Thanks" that we used to sing in our youth group:

GIVE THANKS
WITH A GRATEFUL HEART
GIVE THANKS
TO THE HOLY ONE
GIVE THANKS
FOR HE'S GIVEN
JESUS CHRIST, HIS SON

AND NOW LET THE WEAK SAY
I AM STRONG
LET THE POOR SAY
I AM RICH
BECAUSE OF WHAT
THE LORD HAS DONE
FOR US
GIVE THANKS...

Everytime I started thinking something that was not in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I just started singing those lyrics in my head. And then this morning, wouldn't you know I was led to meditate on being still? By being still, we exercise the spirit of thankfulness that we are called to have. It is so difficult to do but what reward comes with a grateful heart!

Just think about the things that we all have to be thankful for: the majority of us have our health, we have a roof over our heads, we have the arms of our families to embrace us at the end of each day, we have jobs, food to eat, friends to bring us joy. I know so many of my friends and loved ones who have lost someone this year - my friends Janelle and Calvin lost their 3 year old Bella (see previous posts) yet despite their loss, they are choosing to delight in the memories of their daughter and with the upcoming birth of their baby, Noah.

And my school friend Ashley and his wife Bethany welcomed twins: their 4th and 5th children, Abby and Bella, on October 30th. Life couldn't have gotten much more joyful for them. Yet, on November 5th, Bethany died suddenly of a coronary dissection brought on post-birth. So Ashley is left with 5 children and a broken heart. Yet, just last night, he sent out a video of his babies decorating the Christmas tree. For those 10 minutes, he chose to be THANKFUL and allow the joy of the season take over his home. Really, what do we all have to gripe about?

What it comes down to is that the love our Father has for us is so much greater than any complaint we might have in our daily lives.

Ephesians 3:18-19: "may (you) have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."


His love is all encompassing and what He requires of us is to BE STILL and to BE THANKFUL. To have that GRATEFUL HEART that we sang about in youth group.

Today I am challenging myself to stop complaining. And when a gripe enters my mind, I will replace it with a thanksgiving - big or small - so that my heart turns into an ever grateful heart. Today I choose to allow the Lord to delight in me as I delight in Him.

A Few

Here is the back/side of my hair - just got it cut again yesterday. I actually had Christy (my friend/hairdresser - being HEALED completely, in the name of Jesus, from breast cancer!!) take it as soon as she finished drying it.

Christy did a lot of low lights up top to warm it up and high lights underneath so I no longer look like a skunk with it growing in so dark! I love my hair cut and am very happy with it. Several of you wanted to see the back of it, so here you go :) And as for me going shorter (another thing I have heard several of you say) I likely will in the summer. For right now, I am happy with the length and the color. Maybe once I finish shedding baby weight I will have the confidence to go totally short like I did in college! Stay tuned... :) You guys rock - thanks for flattering me so completely.

And on another note, isn't this military daughter beautiful!? She loves her daddy so much. I am a proud mama.

My Hair Through the Years

I am overwhelmed by the comments and messages I have gotten about my hair lately! I didn't know I had that many followers who actually cared. Like I said in the last post, I am flattered.

As early as 4, I wanted my hair short. Like most kids, I went and found some scissors and cut my own hair then my mom had to let me keep it. I grew it back out and then started to perm it throughout the 80s. I started to highlight it in the late 90s (it was dirty blonde my whole life till then) and let it grow really long till the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college. I was an AFROTC cadet at Troy University so I kept it long till after I got back from my month and half long field training (officers equivalent of boot camp) in Florida. When I graduated from the training, I came home and chopped off a good 18 inches! See pictures below.

I started to grow it back out the end of my senior year because I was about to enter the active duty Air Force and it is so much easier to put your hair in a bun each day while in uniform.

It was long through my wedding, birth of my babies until August when I got another foot cut off. At the bottom is what it looks like now. I like it a lot and will not likely grow it back out anytime soon. I have several friends suffering through cancer and losing their gorgeous hair because of the chemo - one of them is my girl friend who actually styles my hair - so in support of them and until they can grow their hair back out, I think I am going to keep it short and really blonde :)

Kindergarten 1985

My pre-school portrait, 1984

Phi Mu portrait, 2000

Paris - 2001

Air Force - 2002

Katie and Dan 2003

Hawaii 2009

NYC May 2001

Short again!August 2011

Kind-of a view of the back....

Me and my baby girl - 2011

It's Fall Ya'll!!!

We are back in Alabama this week because Dan had to go TDY to Europe and because it is Troy's homecoming week. It is peak leave season here in the south and has been a gorgeous week. I'm thankful that I get to celebrate this Veteran's Day with my daddy (USMC) and my husband (USAF). And I'm thankful for the time that I got to serve our great nation. Thank you all who have served and continue to fight the good fight. You are appreciated.

P.S. As for the back of my hair, I WILL have Dan take a picture of it :) I didn't realize so many folks wanted to see it! I am flattered that so many of you want to see it and read my blog.

Halloween Fun 2011

We had a fun Halloween. Here in Louisiana, we have a great bunch of neighbors and live in a subdivision full of young families so trick-or-treating is always a great experience. This year was awesome because both kids - Noah and Ellyotte - were excited. Well, Noah was over the moon to wear his Power Ranger costume and Ellyotte was just excited because he was so happy. We had a great time. And Dan didn't disappoint with his costume at all, either!

Here, There, just...Everywhere

These past two months have been INSANE! I literally just unpacked my suitcase for the first time since August. Not kidding. 4 Alabama trips, 1 Florida trip, 1 Ohio trip, and 1 trip to South Louisiana for a Troy game. We are tired. But, we are happy, safe and thriving. I am thankful.

I am back into another school term with Troy University and of course, love it. It is such a nice "adult" outlet for me. I truly don't know what I would do without my link to the world of higher education!

We have had such fun this Fall. Troy games, lots of laughs and memories at the Waters in Alabama with my family, a GREAT trip north to Ohio for my sister in law, Annie's surprise shower I helped put on (I'm gonna be an AUNT for the first time! Due 31 December! WHOO HOO!), and so many fun moments with our two kiddos. They love each other very much and constantly make each other belly laugh. And having Noah as a big brother, Ellyotte is guaranteed to be a tough child. She gets kicked and rolled around all day! And she loves it.

My beautiful beach girl - 15 months old

Right at home in the sand

Nothing compares to the beauty of the Florida Panhandle

Go Troy!

Two peas

Enjoying the view from the press box at the Troy game

Ellyotte and gorgeous Aunt Kelly

I got to meet up with one of my lifelong friends, Trish, and her kids while at the condo in Panama City Beach. We were supposed to go from Alabama to Nashville but my BFFs kids got sick there and so we postponed our trip and went to the beach with my folks instead. I hadn't seen Trish in ages. She was a cheerleader at Troy back in the 90s and was my gymnastics and cheer coach. We have been friends for 20 years now and I love meeting up with her whenever I can! We flew kites with the kids on the beach and just loved seeing one another. Isn't she a knock out?! And she has three babies!

View from my folks' place

Noah is stll so into the Troy Sound of the South marching band but he's also decided he wants to be a Troy football player when he grows up. So when he's not marching all around the house, he's throwing the football and practicing his hike. And the kid is so entitled: he expects to be on the field constantly when we are at the games. He doesn't understand that normal kids don't get to sit in a luxury box or go down onto the sidelines during the games! He even got to be on the field of the Super Dome in New Orleans last year when Troy played in the NO Bowl! He's a mess.

We are continuing to miss Bella (please see my previous posts), Noah's friend who went to Heaven on 17 September. Her Tiger class is not complete without her there. They talk about her and remember her every day. Today's Halloween festivities were fun but her absence was noticed. Through this tragedy, I have made great friends with her mommy and daddy. It is wild how two babies born worlds away (Noah in Hawaii in Feb 2008 and Bella in England in April 2008) could end up in the same small MDO class in Bossier City, Louisiana and through the passing of one of them, two mommies could become such good friends. I am thankful for the Paquettes and admire them immensely for how they are going on with life without their Bella here on earth. But Janelle is doing well as she can be doing while grieving and yet pregnant with their baby boy, Noah. Please remember her and Calvin in your prayers.

Bella's backpack hook at school

The Tigers miss Bella

Happy Halloween!

I am thankful to have a good friend who lives in England because I am able to avert future crises: Ellyotte has a kitty that was given to her when she was born. To say she can't be separated from that cat for a second is an understatement. Wouldn't you know the cat is no longer made and is out of stock worldwide. I finally tracked ONE down in a boutique in London and my girlfriend ordered it, had it sent to her house and is mailing it to me to save on the astronomical costs of shipping directly from the boutique. The other night, Ellyotte got poop on her kitty right before bed so I had to wash it. Of course it wasn't dry before putting her down so we had to distract her enough to get her ready for bed. We literally watched her sort through all of her passies and babies in her crib (over the video monitor) and start screaming uncontrollably. Elly is not a cryer so it was pitiful. I ran into the laundry room, turned the dryer up to high and prayed the cycle would hurry! I ended up giving her a wet kitty but she fell sound asleep. All was right in her world again. So, if you run across the Gund Huggybuddy Kitty then hook me up! I will pay you back! We need lots of back ups :) And THANK YOU LESLEY! You rock.

Here are some cute pictures from the fall fun we have been having. I love making memories and taking pictures but the uploading and sorting through the pictures is not something I enjoy doing! SO I will post more in the upcoming days.