Burt's Pumpkin Patch and Apple Picking 2009

It's become a cherished tradition for our family to go to Burt's Pumpkin Patch and the apple farms each fall. This year Pop, Essie, Jill & Maggie were here to join us! Love these places!

Cousins

The past few weeks the kiddos have gotten to see two of their cousins--Maggie and Nate. What a blessing it will be for these kids to have each other as they grow up!

Grandmother's 90th Birthday

Justin's grandmother recently celebrated her 90th birthday! It was a great time together with family. :)

Sleep

I don't know what it was...but last night I just HAD to go in and scoop Trevor up out of bed and hold him. He was sound asleep, but I took him in my arms and held him for a long time. I prayed for him and I just studied his face--something he's usually moving WAY too fast for me to be able to do. I marveled at his long legs--when did he grow up? We have a video of Trevor when I was pregnant with him--I was only 17 weeks along when we found out he was a boy, but I remember being absolutely amazed at how formed and how perfect his leg bones were on the ultrasound. And now those same long legs were spilling over my arms as I held my almost 4-year old boy.

It's going fast.

P.S. I didn't take this picture as I held him--too sacred a moment. I caught this shot last week while he napped in the car. ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!

Happy birthday, Justin! We love you SO MUCH!

Mommy in My Pocket

I'm late posting this, but each day leading up to Trevor's first day of school we read a book together called "Mommy in my Pocket" about a bunny who wished he could shrink his mama down and carry her in his pocket on the first day of school. Very sweet.

So I had a small picture of Trev and me printed so that he could "carry me in his pocket" on his first day. Here's the video. :)

Summah is Ovah

Back in '96 I worked at a summer camp, and at the end of summer the director would stand on a big rock and, in a booming voice, he'd announce:

"SUMMAH IS OVAH!!!"

So here are some of our end-of-summer family pics. Our family tradition is to go out for ice cream the night before the first day of school.

Baptism at the Lake / Welcome, Baby Dos!

North Star does baptisms at the lake--here are some pictures. You can tell I'm a total blog slacker, since Briahnna had her baby like 10 days ago.

Welcome, Isaiah Paul Villegas!! Tim, Briahnna and Jadyn welcomed Isaiah on Wednesday, September 2nd just after 9am. 7 lbs, 5 oz, 20 inches (hope I got that all right)!

Another Awesome Children's Museum

About a month ago (yep, I am way behind on posting) I took the kids to the Gainesville Children's Museum (thanks, Mimi & Papa)--it was REALLY cool!

It's a bunch of different rooms set up for imaginative play. They have:

* A grocery store
* A post office
* A library
* A 50's diner
* An airport
* A bank
* A hair salon
* A dentist office
* A veterinarian office
* A children's hospital
* A courtroom
* A Train station
* A police station
* A fire station








So much fun!

The FIRST First Day

Monday was Trevor's first day of school. Like EVER. He seemed a little apprehensive on the first day, but came home loving it. I think it's going to be a great year!

Trevor has been joining me every Tuesday night to walk around North Star and pray for the upcoming Women's League kickoff. Well, a week or two before school, he asked if I would walk around his school and pray for him on his first day. I said I would. He brought it up several times leading up to the first day, and then he told the teacher on the first day that I was going to be walking around the school praying. It was just the sweetest time of prayer for him and for the days before him--I think I'll do it every year!




The song on the playlist is the first song that I connected to Trevor. We sang this song a lot at church when I was pregnant with him, and he always seemed to kick like crazy during worship. How great is our God--all will see how great is our God!

* If you wish not to hear the music, click pause on the music player. :)

My Favorite Part of She Speaks

Justin, Trevor and Aila. My time with them was the highlight of our weekend in Concord, NC for the "She Speaks" conference. For other conference details, check out the speaking blog.

Messy Child

I can't take the stained clothing, nor bathing my child after every single meal. Bibs don't even KIND OF cut it, so here's my solution:

Long-sleeve art smocks from Ikea!!!



She's a sweet girl, but MAN can she make a mealtime mess!

Family Visit!

We had a great time when my parents came to visit (like a MONTH ago)!

18 Months Ago...

...a little girl named Aila Grace arrived.
Six pounds, 3 ounces, 17 inches. Tiny, but a radiant little blessing.

Eighteen months later, still tiny (18 pounds, 28 inches)--
but every day more and more a blessing.
We get glimpses of Heaven's joy when we hold her,
and understand redemption more deeply when we look at her.

Sweet little one, we love you.
We pray that you,
being rooted and established in love,
will spend all your days
grasping how WIDE and LONG and HIGH and DEEP
is the love of Christ,
that you may know this love that surpasses knowledge,
and that you may be filled to the measure
of all the FULLNESS OF GOD.

Eight Years Ago Today

I used to pray so much for the life I am living right now, and I prayed BIG.
But the Lord surpassed my biggest hopes and dreams in providing Justin as my husband,
the father of our children, and the head of our home.

I am beyond grateful that God held in store for us things that are
"immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine" (Colossians 3:20).

Happy Anniversary, Justin!