caroline and duke,

this blog has been empty for almost one whole year. it sort of feels wrong to open it back up.  but tonight i am wide awake and feel compelled to write to you.  i have mounds of work waiting for me, but i am too distracted. so right now i will ramble through some thoughts. .... a year of thoughts? ha.  i so wish i was better at recording our memories.  they are so good.

oh, if i could freeze time right now.  you guys are just absolutely amazing.  i tell you every single day, but there is no way you even fathom it... you bring me great joy. my heart just flutters when i look at you.  i still can't believe that you are mine.  you are precious and special and incredible and so very loved.  i'm so thankful God gave you to me. i love to watch you guys together.  i can't wait to watch you grow.  your little relationship is already so precious.  you have the sweetest moments and your eyes twinkle when you're together.  i can't get enough of you guys.  i just want to squeeze you and keep you just like you are. home with me ;) in our sweet little world.

sarah caroline, you are my first. you are teaching me what it means to love and to really live.  you made me a mom and you are my best friend. i couldn't love my days with you more.  i praise God that i get to spend them with you.  the way you nurture and care for duke and all seven million baby dolls --- absolutely melts me and assures me that you will be the very best mom ever. :)  you get every ounce out of every day, never stopping, always on the move.  you love to be together and play together...and i kinda like that ;).  i love your expressive eyebrows and the way you pull your lips to the side and smirk.  i like that you laugh from deep inside.  you are deep, so deep and ask that sweetest most precious questions.  you are so good at loving your family, and want so badly to be with your family --- i love love love to see you with grandma and pa. you guys have the sweetest relationship.  you are so much like your grandma -- you adore her and  i'm pretty sure she feels the same way. ;)  you love when i hold you at night, and are very specific that it's done just right. i love it.  i love that you want to be cuddled and that you cuddle back.  it makes me heart dance when you see the beauty in nature... the leaves changing, or beautiful flowers, or shapes in the clouds... you're always looking and always pointing out beautiful things.  you are quite possibly the most creative and imaginative person in the whole wide world. without a doubt.  you just need a ball of yarn to "decorate" our entire house. everything comes to life in your world... bottles, babies, cups, flowers, ..... truly any and everything that you touch becomes a person with a story and very specific purpose. you are heart broken if you that purpose is not achieved.  i hope as you grow, you never settle and you always go wild when your purpose is not achieved... the Lord has big things in store for you, sweet Ro.  He will use you in might ways.  I pray you never settle, always nurture and dream big.  always know that Jesus loves you, as do daddy and I.  you are so loved and so cherished and so absolutely beautiful.  i'm thankful i'm your mom and i'm thankful for these precious days with you.  thank you for loving me and for loving daddy and duke.  you bring me great joy.

duke david, you are my boy.  everyone told me it was different with a boy.  they were so right.  you are so precious and so sweet.  your little personality is just budding and i really do like you, little man. :) the way you wrinkle your nose just before you smile .... your little half smile/smirk .... your belly laugh .... the way you hold your hands .... the way you lean in to me.... your eyes twinkle and hug is the best.  i just can't get enough of you.  you are my miracle boy.  i will never ever ever take the beat of your heart for granted.  i love that you are big and strong and happy and handsome.  you are so loved and so bathed in prayer.  you think your sister is so great, you light up when you see daddy and you want to be held every single minute.  i love that you love your friends .... sophie, your blue blanket, your puppy raddle .... so many things that you hold close and love.  you truly have the sweetest, happiest, most precious personality.  i am beyond thankful for you.  you make my heart go pitter-patter.  i could cuddle you all day long.  well, actually i do ;) ... and i wouldn't trade it for the world.

it's funny.  i don't feel like i've really said much, and feel like there is so much to say, but i feel like a bit of weight has been lifted off my chest.  sometimes i just need some feelings to put be on paper.  i SO wish i was better at that.  our days are so much fun.  i wish i was better at recording them.  we have a blast together and we do so many fun things and have the most precious memories.  i love my little world and my little family.  thank you for loving me and making me feel so very special.  i am truly so thankful and so blessed.  i long for you to know you are loved, your are cherished, you are wanted and prayed for.  i yearn for you to know Truth... to KNOW our Lord.  I pray you see Him in me.  sometimes i wonder if i'm doing anything right as a mom.  sometimes our days are hard and long.  but i always know that you are my greatest blessings... you make me a better person... you have taught me more about God and pointed me to Jesus more than anything else in my life.  You are precious.  Truly precious.  Never ever forget that.

know that i love you, beautiful babies.  i love that you're laying in bed with me right now.  i love to pray over you and kiss you all over ;)... you are my best

you bring me great joy.

i'm thankful for you.

i love you,
mom

happy thanksgiving!

i'm beyond thankful for you, sarah caroline. you bring me great joy.

i love you,

mom

first day of school! :)

caroline,

today you started FIRST STEPS!

you are in the Terrific Two's Class... and you have sweet friends from church in your class and precious teachers!

we are thankful your school is at our church... where you are loved and taught by some of our very favorite people.

i know you are having so much fun.  i can't wait to hear all about your day!

you weren't as goofy as these pictures look... but you were NOT going to stand still and smile this morning... much too excited!!

:)

i'm excited for you! i know you were much more ready for this, than i was/am/will ever be... ;)

i love you!
mom

o is for oak

i was singing you to sleep

sort of mindlessly

we'd read your Jesus book

said our prayers

and we were just sort of laying in bed singing

not really thinking

just singing through some of our normal hymns

i was singing " 'tis so sweet to trust in jesus "

it's an all time favorite

i've sung it to you since you were a wee babe

over and over and over again

you were sort of batting your eyes

i was finishing the song...

"Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more! "

you sat straight up in bed and said

"o is for oak

not for grace

o is for oak"

;)

you really do listen

i love you.  thanks for listening when i sing. i hope we sing that song together many many more times

i love you sweet, girl

mom

your father's child

sarah caroline you are SO much like your dad

you look like your dad

you are strong willed, like your dad

you love to stay up late and sleep in, like your dad (and mom) ;)

you are focused, like your dad...when your mind is set, there is little that can change it

you could live on peanut butter, like your dad

you don't like the spotlight, like your dad

you could watch tv all day long, like your dad

you're so funny, like your dad

you love milk, like your dad

but today... you did something that is EXACTLY something your dad would do

oh, sarah caroline!

i was in the bedroom and you started yelling from the play room (in the MOST convincing way)
ahhhh! mom! my finger is stuck!! help!! help!!

so i ran to you, ready for a purple finger

and literally take one step in the room and you start laughing FROM THE GUT - and you laughed FOREVER. seriously.

you are two years old.

how did you know that would be funny? how do you already find joy in watching me run like a maniac?

oh dear.

your dad is the KING of crying wolf and playing jokes on me... there are so. many. stories.

i'd say these are his favorites... or maybe just his go-to jokes ;)

- calling grammy and saying he's in jail (too many times)
- acting like he's proposing in every public place... malls, book stores, etc...
 (why didn't i just go with it...i looked like the biggest idiot trying to get him to stand up and explaining to everyone that it was a joke) ;)
- picking me up on his shoulder in public. especially in crowds, when i'm noticeably doing something VERY different than anyone else. and when you're sitting on top of a 6'2" shoulder... all you can do is smile and look like an idiot.

thankfully, he has toned down since we've been married... but it looks like we're getting a fresh dose of joking with you.

you guys! so funny :)

i can only imagine all that's in store for me.  poor mom.

i'm glad you are like him. because (don't tell him i said so) but i think he's funny ;) and handsome and sweet and wonderful :)

i love you, sarah caroline

i'm glad your finger wasn't really stuck.  i'm glad i can make you laugh :)

love,
mom

a wedding shower for uncle bill and sara

a long time ago, when the earth was green, we threw a wedding shower for uncle bill and sara. it was at mama's house - nonnie and grandma did a fabulous job. it was a brunch and there were so many sweet friends and family there.

some pictures of all the pretty stuff:

 sweet sarah elizabeth:

 delatha introducing herself to you:

nonnie and laura fluffing:

 thank goodness for the iPad: :-\

 sweet guh came! sharon and bj:

 she'd been looking at those pretty m&m's for days:

 nicole and hannah grace, mama and aunt marilyn:

 sweet friends:

 T H E  B R I D E:

 you, mama and hannah grace.  you're quite fond of them both:

 sarah and katherine webb, mama, hannah grace davoust, you

 these are some all time favorites of the two of you. there are soooo many, but i just couldn't delete any.

i love family days! and i love you :)

mom