What time is it? SUMMERTIME!!!

I definitely couldn't come up with any better blog title. These are lyrics from a song from High School Musical. What can I say?!?! I love those movies!

I feel like we've been so busy, but I my mind is blank now that I have a chance to sit and write what's been going on! Here are some updates!

*Addy started sleeping in the crib in Emmy's room a couple of weeks ago. She gave me my FIRST sleepless night with her May 15, the second May 16, and by the next morning I was over it! It was like she would wake up just to play and if I put her in her pack-in-play by our bed she would scream! It was so frustrating! The first night she hated when I put her to bed for the night in it but, thankfully, when she woke up in the night she only fussed for a little while and fell back to sleep and slept until about 7:30AM. Some nights she will sleep through the night, but it's not consistent yet. I'm just glad she's out of our room! I was so worried that once the girls shared a room Addy would disturb Emmy's sleep, but Emmy normally just sleeps right through Addy's fussing. The first night she did come in our bed and say "My baby sister's crying." In a very matter of fact way, but other than that it has been great! I remember just sitting and worrying about milestones when Emmy was a baby like "what's gonna happen when I stop nursing her to sleep?", "what's gonna happen when I take her paci away?", etc., but we've gotten through every step-then you have new worries which is a whole 'nother blog! I guess the lesson I'm learning is that there are times where it's not easy by any means, but you get through them and a lot of times look back and wonder why it was such a big deal!

Addy's first night in her crib sharing a room with Emmy!

*Since Emmy is our first child, we've always thought she was the cutest, smartest, best baby in the world! (Come on, admit it! Everyone thinks that about their first kid! When they are about 2 or 3 you kind of snap out of it and realize they AREN'T perfect and there is probably a kid you know that is almost as cute, might know a few more letters than your's, and will actually sit still, be quiet, and eat their food at a restaurant, unlike your child!) As I was saying, Emmy is the smartest 3 1/2 year old in the world. Lately, she has just amazed us at what she knows and remembers! She asked for something the other day and then said "Come on, Mommy! All we have to do is turn wight on ****** Pike and the store is off of dat woad!" She doesn't quite know left from right, but she says "How do we get dere?" all the time and I've gotten to the point where I just tell her very detailed directions and it makes her be quiet! I wish I could remember every little story! I love how she is a little sponge and will pretty much take in everything we teach her. I just pray that she will also be smart enough to apply the Truth we have tried to instill in her when the time comes!

*Emmy and Addy's last day of Mother's Day Out was Thursday before last. I love working there and the checks have been such a blessing, but boy am I glad it's over! Working with children under the age of two for several hours a week on top of caring for your own 2 under the age of 3 1/2 gets very tiring! The last day of MDO they had a whole little carnival planned for them in the parking lot. They started out by serving Happy Meals, then whisked each class outside where there were inflatables and games. It was such a beautiful day and we had such a wonderful time! Emmy is starting the summer Mother's Day Out program next week. She will go every Tuesday from 9am-1pm and I will not be going with her! In August she will be going to preschool for 3 hours a day 3 days a week. The other day she said "I can't wait to dwive myself to pre-school next year. I'll be a big girl den." She was dead serious, too. Anyway, it will be nice to have a few hours to get some things done. I laugh because now that I have two kids, it's a piece of cake when I've only got one with me!

Addy's first french fry. I think she liked it. What do you think???

Addy's class in the lunchroom on her last day of school. We were missing 2 kids. I love these babies! I'm sure gonna miss them this summer even if they do wear me out!

Emmy's class at lunch time on her last day. Emmy is at the head of the back table cheesin' it up, of course!

She was having such a good time! One of the things I will miss about working at her school will be getting to peak in on her any time I want.

Emmy waiting her turn to play a game at the carnival.

Addy on a window seat with the boys in one of the inflatables called Crayon Land.

My little jumping bean. She's pretty much like this all the time.

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE................



*So you know how on my last blog I said I had some exciting news?? Well, it's still not official yet, but we believe that the Lord has opened a door to a church for us to serve in FULL TIME!!!!!!! We are SOOOOOOO excited, thankful, and anxious all at the same time. The reason that it is not official yet is because the church still needs to vote us in. Tim and I both have a peace about this church and feel like this is the place where God is going to use us, so we are optimistic about the vote. That's all the details that I can give so far, but please keep us in your prayers in the next couple of weeks. The church will vote June 7th.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

'Til Death Do They Part

The past few weeks have been super busy for us! My best friend Jessica got married yesterday! I am SO happy and excited for her and her new husband, Norman. She planned everything herself and I am so proud of her for that! Everything turned out beautiful and God heard our prayers!

For the past week everyone who was a part of this outdoor wedding has been watching the weather reports for the weekend. The predictions were always scattered thunderstorms all day. Yesterday morning the predictions were actually an 80% chance of rain at 4:00 pm, the time the wedding was to begin. The sun shined until about 5:30 pm, which was about 30 minutes into the reception that was held at a nearby country club. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Jessica was a GORGEOUS bride. She composed herself in a classy way (which is obviously sometimes hard on your wedding day when you're the bride and you want everything perfect and everyone's not acting perfect! ha!) Norman was the sweetest groom I have ever seen. Get this-as they danced their first dance he looked her in the eyes the whole time singing their song, "True Companion", to her. It was the sweetest thing! It was one of those mushy moments where I think every woman in the room was crying. Also, when they said their vows to each other it gave me chills.

Emmy was the flower girl. I've been nervous about it since about a year ago when Jess asked me. She did a great job. She walked down the aisle kind of shy and didn't throw down any flowers. lol She stood by me for a minute, but then realized that one of her little friends, Brooklynn, was in the audience and walked off to see her. She then ran back up to me and said "Here Mommy. Hold my basket." In the middle of the wedding. It was super cute! By the middle of the reception she was over it, so Tim took her and Addy home to put them to bed. All in all, Emmy was a great little flower girl! I pray that she will be just as good in the next wedding she's in on June 20th!

I was the Matron of Honor and what a priveledge it was! I was truly honored that she asked me. I was so emotional all day because we have been friends since the 6th grade. Since I was in the bridal party, we obviously had to take a lot of picture with the groomsmen. At one point the photographer asked all the bridesmaids to put their hand on the groomsmans shoulder and kind of lean on them. When Emmy saw me doing that to the best man she said "Why's my Mommy touchin' that boy???" I thought that was worth sharing :-)!

About a week ago she reminded me that I had to give a speech and toast. This is pretty much what it said:

When I met Jessica in the 6th grade, I could have never dreamed what our friendship would hold. From eating jelly belly jelly beans on a rooftop and watching Lifetime movies with my Mom, to her becoming like an aunt to my girls and hearing about this guy named Norman who was more than just someone special. Through the years, Jessica has been a wonderful friend to me. She has taught me what a true friend really is. She has been there to talk when I needed someone to listen and has always supported me even when the outcome seemed impossible. Norman is blessed to have found her. My prayer is that you will have a marriage filled with happiness and that God would be the center of it. Song of Solomon 8:7a reads "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away."

To Jessica and Norman:

May you both love in a way that nothing can defeat it. We all love you so much and pray that the Lord will bless your marriage.

I am so happy for them and I meant every word that I said. I wish that I could have said more, but sometimes it's just hard to put into words how you feel.

Patty, Jess, Me and Emmy on the morning of her wedding. Patty is Jessica's close friend from Knoxville. We all had a slumber party!

Me and Jessica

Jessica and Norman. What a beautiful couple!

Emmy and Brooklynn dancing at the reception

I hope that you all had a great weekend! Tim is off from school for the summer, so he doesn't have work or anything tomorrow! I don't even remember the last time he had an off day. Also, stay tuned-I have some exciting things I'll be sharing in the next few weeks! I just need to wait on all the details. And NO I'm NOT pregnant and NO we're NOT moving. Just wanted to get that out in the open....