weekend fun

here are some pics from our weekend. pics from a trip we took today with the lee family to the national aqaurium in baltimore city. and carson brining flowers and candy to his mama on sunday morning.

mother's day

this mother's day has been mixed with both sorrow and joy for me. i can so easily be aware of all that i have lost as a mother today...but there is so much more that i have gained. as i was having my quiet time this morning, i opened a mother's day card from my amazing husband. in it was this quote...

'your parting is not for long. This ruined body will be raised, and all its ravished beauties more than repaired. As for my other loved ones, whom i see exposed to disease and death, i know that death cannot touch them unless my Heavenly Father, who orders everything for me in love and wisdom, sees it best. so that i can trust them, though trembling, to His keeping, and be at peace. Our little one is now a ransomed spirit...this is a hope inexpressible and full of glory. As we feel our deep anguish, our hearts bleed. But as i ask, 'where is the soul whose beams gave clay all its beauty and preciousness?' i triumph. Has it not already begun, with an infant voice, the praises of our Savior? perhaps one of the loving angels that bore home his spirit has been teaching and training him to heavenly manhood. perhaps he has been committed to our sainted father, or to my wife's sainted grandmother. as one of their redeemed posterity. to keep and train till we can embrace him again. at any rate, he is in Christ's heavenly house and under His guardian love. Now I feel, as never before, the blessedness of the redeeming grace and divine blood, which have ransomed my poor babe from all the sin and death which he inherited through me.'

love, thank you for always pointing me Heavenward...for helping me to always fix my eyes on Christ...i truly do not deserve you.

through out the day i have experienced such a peace and such joy. i am humbled that the Lord has allowed me to have one foot here on earth and one foot in Heaven. I have the gift in my son Carson, who brings me so much joy and laugher each and every day. and then i have the gift in my son Chase who reminds me daily of Heavean and the price that was paid on Calvary to enable him to be with God and experience eternal joy and happiness. over this past year and a half the gospel has become so much more alive to me than ever. it is at the hill of calvary that i have run today to experience such grace...where 'Christ was all anguish that i might be all joy, cast off that i might be brought in, wounded that i might be healed, athirst that i might drink, tormented that i might be comforted, entered darkness that i might have eternal light' (Valley of Vision, pg 42). may each day (even if they may be as hard as today has been) bring me to marvel more at the undeserving mercy that God has given me in the death of his own precious son!

Allergies and Sickness

Carson and dada have both been experiencing the effects of allergies and sickness (for jon) this past week. thank the Lord, everyone is doing MUCH better now (carson went to an allergist this past week and is doing SO much better).

these two pics are a great picture into our life here this past week. jon came home a little early one day b/c he was not feeling too well. carson was pretty miserable that day due to allergies. i went upstairs for a while and came back down to this picture...dada had fallen asleep, carson (for some unknown reason) took his pants off and found a comfy spot on the couch to rest (on top of dada)!

more thoughts from a 2 year old

carson loves to read his little Bible (that nana got for him when he was born). I often get my Bible out and read to him, 'children obey your parents in the Lord.' i will ask carson, 'do you know what that means? it means carson obey dada and mama.'

the other day he had his Bible out and i asked him to read to me. he said, 'abay mama.' i was so encouraged.

the following day he had his Bible out and i asked him to read to me. he said, 'dada obey. mama obey.' I asked, 'dada and mama obey who?' with a smile on his face he said, 'meeee!'

spring party

this is the second year that we have attended a spring party at the brewers house. they are so kind to open thier home to friends and TONS of little ones. hiding TONS of eggs for the kiddos to find and grilling up some great food. here are some pics from our time there:












it is fun to look at pictures from last year and compare them to our time at the brewers this year...take a look...

carson and his best bud KJ Hydoski playing last year...



and playing this year...





carson playing in the basket of eggs last year...



and carson playing in the basket of eggs this year (with the help of two friends)...



carson finding eggs with dada last year...



carson finding eggs with dada this year...

a trip to the ER

we had our first visit to the ER last thursday night. carson and dada were out on a walk and carson fell off his truck onto the pavement (face first). we had a to wait for a long time in the waiting room, but little buddy did great (with the help of the movie 'cars' in jon's computer). by the time the doc saw him, it was close to 11pm. you would have never know...carson was so joyful, greeting everyone who walked by and eagerly asking for the doctor. he cried pretty loud when they were stitching him up, but as soon as they were done, he sat up and said, 'dank u docdor.' it was too precious. here are some pics of the injured boy!!!

spring fun

i haven't posted in a while...but we are still here. the weather has been so beautiful the last few days and we have been enjoying it as much as we can. carson and cody love to take long walks around the neighborhood, playing in the backyard, going to the creek, going to the park...you name it, they love it. here are a few pics of the last few days!

we had a picnic dinner with the simmons today at a park right next to regan airport. the planes flew right above our heads the whole time. Carson LOVED it!







Here is a shot of the boys playing in the backyard!

best buds

here are some recent pics of my two boys at play!


a little game of tug of war


cody got a good bite


tempting cody with what he can not have


the tempter


little cody


time out for some cuddle time


carson is ready for more play

conversation of the day

carson and i ran some errands in the late afternoon (leaving cody at home in his crate). we were checking out at the grocery store and carson said to me, "home?" i asked him, "would you like to go home?" he said, "yes." he then said, "doggy night night" i asked, "is cody sleeping at home in his crate?" he said, "yes, home, doggy, play." i asked, "do you want to go home to play with cody." with a huge smile on his face he said, "yes!"

happy birthday carson

Carson turned 2 years old yesterday...my little baby is growing up so fast. we celebrated with some friends today...breakast at krispy kreme (one of his very favorites) and then to the park to play. he has been so excited that he couldn't nap today. he has been playing with his new toys and new best freind (cody).

here are some pics from the morning.



Emo and Carson watching the donuts being made


Jotham Sheffer enjoying a donut (for the very first time!)


the birthday boy


opening a few gifts with the help of some friends


little lauren lee watching the donuts


riley simmons enjoying a bite


opening some more gifts


having fun at the park

a gift from heaven

we recieved the most amazing gift this weekend...a choclate labradore puppy. yes, a gift!!!!! we are so undeserving to have SO many amazing friends. we are humbled and amazed that they would love us SO much to bless us with an adorable little pup! and boy is he adorable. we proudly introduce you to cody....






to those of you who made it possible for cody to be ours...we can not thank you enough. he has already been such a gift to our whole family (carson ADORES him). we truly are amazed at God's amazing grace and goodness to us! THANK YOU!!!!!!!