More Pictures!!!

Pictures!!!

Update

Well, we aren't going anywhere for a little vacation after all. We decided last night to not because I (Adam) would have to take off work which we can't afford, and because we just have too many other things going on. Plus Cheryl wouldn't get to spend much time with Grace if we were driving all weekend. So, anyway we are good. Grace is talking more and more. She began saying her version of Elmo today which sounded more like eelma. She is picking up on everything, I am learning you don't have to force things on her too much because she naturally picks up on them. She is a smart one! She must get that from her Momma, LOL. I just finished a summer term class and have a new semester in a couple of weeks. The best thing is I GRADUATE IN THE SPRING, can I get a WHOOP WHOOP. I've been working on this really since 2005 when we moved to Memphis and I am ready to get to seminary. God is good. Things are tight around here a lot but God always sees us through. I will be seeking some type of full time employment when I graduate and hopefully something will open up so I can make some more dough for us. We also have Holly's brother Greg and his fiance Kelly coming up next weekend. We are looking forward to them here! They will have a blast with Grace and we can't wait to see them ourselves, it has been a while. Maybe one day we can all live closer together! We'll get some more pictures up soon. See Y'all Later, Roll Tide!!!!

A Little Vacation Afterall!

It looks like we will have a little vacation this year. I (Holly) have decided that I can work an extra 12 hour shift or so to pay for us to have a little 'getaway'. Mom is coming up to Louisville in August on the 19th and we decided yesterday.. to all go to Gatlinburg, TN while she is here visiting. I looked online the other day and Gatlinburg is only 4 1/2 hours from here so we are going to leave on Aug. 20th and come back on Aug 23rd and then Mom will fly back home on Aug 24th. We are going super cheap. We decided to get a hotel room that has a balcony and it is right on the Parkway in Gatlinburg. We figure that Grace can sleep in the pack-n-play and we can go out on the balcony while she is napping or when she goes to sleep.. if we aren't ready to go to sleep. We will also be able to walk to the shops, dining, etc. so this is VERY convenient.. esp. with Grace. It is an older hotel/ lodge but it has an outdoor and indoor pool and other things which is nice. Mom has actually stayed at this place before. Over all.. we are really looking forward to this! It will be nice and fun! I am very thankful for this.

Not this next weekend but next, my brother and his fiance is coming from GA for a visit for a long weekend with us! We are really looking forward to that too! We plan on going to the Slugger Museum with them and maybe some other things while they are here. They have been to Louisville once and so it is always nice going around town and they are looking forward to spending time with Grace!

More Fun

Today Grace and I went to the zoo with 3 other Mom's and our children (ladies from Highview at Valley Station). I didn't feel like pulling out the camera so I didn't get any pics.. we just enjoyed our time with out the camera. It was a bit humid though... but a great time! Grace was very excited to be surrounded by all the children again!

Grace has been doing different little dances when music comes on. She first started 'bopping' her head to the music and now she waves her arms up and down and kind of bounces or twirls around. It is SOO hard though.. to get it on video. When I pull the camera out she stops! Go figure!:)

I am posting another video from the other day and for some reason it is blurry after uploading to you tube but I guess you can still see it. She is keeping us busy these days! In to EVERYTHING!:)

Yesterday we had our (almost) daily play time on the deck! She LOVES going out back and playing on the deck! Her pool is back on the deck and yesterday evening she kept wanting to play in the water. She puts water in her little pale and turns it up like it is a cup to drink the water and OF COURSE she gets WAY too much water in her mouth so she will start coughing. I have to stop her from doing this because she will keep on doing it! She was also slinging water out of the pool with a plastic shovel and then she got the idea that she could dip her head into the pool and get water. On 3.. she would put her head up and down and the third time she would go low enough for her head to dip into the water! She thought this was HILARIOUS! She kept doing it and I was afraid she was going to get water up her nose and stuff so I kept pulling her back but I couldn't help but laugh at our silly girl! I wish I had a video of that! Needless to say, by the time we came inside she was all wet so I took her out of her clothes and it was close to bath time so I got the idea to put her in one of MY 'smaller' shirts instead of dirtying any of her clothes. It was SO cute. It was a little gown on her. She liked it though!:) Kind of like playing dress up with momma's clothes!

Grace LOVES to wear buckets on her head.. don't ask me why?? But bows.. FORGET IT! She takes them out as soon as I put them in! :) I know it is probably just a phase!

Enjoying Summer Days

Grace LOVES to be outside. As a matter of fact, when I get her to bring her in she will sometimes get upset when it is time to go in the house. She wants to walk in the front of the house but I am always afraid she is going to fall and hurt herself on the pavement/ concrete because of our sloped driveway. Today, we took her down to the end of the road to walk around and she was exploring her surroundings! We also made and enjoyed homemade chocolate ice cream for the first time today. Grace was 'helping' Daddy make it!

Grace's 'not sure' expression!:)

Update on ? Move

We are not moving! We got word today that the couple decided to make an offer on the other house that they liked. The realtor said she would keep us in mind though when she has a client that is looking for a house in our price range. The realtor was very nice and I know she will remember us. As for us, we have to say we were a little bummed today but we also knew that it is NOT God's plan for us if it didn't happen. So.. we will see what he has in store for us next??!! We will probably not try to sale again until Spring of next year.

Just to Explain- Move??

A week from yesterday, I went out to get the mail with Grace and there was a flyer in the paper box from a Realtor saying that she had a couple that wants to buy in our subdivision and wanted to know if any of us would be willing to sell our house. As soon as a got it I thought... hmmm.. that is interesting.. Adam and I have been wanting to sell our house and praying about the whole situation for probably a year or longer but we knew it was probably impossible. You see.. after having Grace I went part-time and of course, that has greatly affected our finances. We were willing to sell our house and move into something cheaper to help our finances but the market kind of crashed and we were afraid we wouldn't be able to sell and considering we just bought in 2007 we were afraid that the housing value has either stayed the same or dropped. So we couldn't afford a big loss on selling the house. So we looked into some other things but just figured we needed to give it more time. Well, with Spring and Summer coming, it appears people really are buying around here and with the opportunity that was presented to us.. the Real Estate company would only make 3% commission off of us instead of 6 or 7% since we didn't list our house. This is a really good deal because of course that is thousands of dollars. ....

Needless to say.. I called the agent that night to let her tell me about the situation. She said it is a couple that is having a baby (I believe in August) and they want to be in a house by then. They also wanted to buy in our subdivision. There is multiple houses for sale but what is left.. apparently they didn't like. She did say they had put an offer in on a house before and someone else got the house before them. So I worked last weekend.. so we agreed to let them come on Monday to see the house. They came back for a 2nd look on Wednesday and he brought his parents to look also. We know that they are deciding between our house and 1 other house and they have looked at both houses twice. The guy (buyer) worked till 11pm yesterday so nothing was accomplished yesterday. We had given them our asking price yesterday because they requested it. The realtor says she hopes to hear something this evening.

In all, this came out of nowhere and we know that it is totally God. No matter what happens we know it will be the Lord's will and it will help us either way around. It has been hard just waiting to hear the news. But we are trying to be patient... :)

For us, this would mean that we would try to find a house for RENT that is cheaper!!!!! This is what we would like to do since we don't know how much longer we will be here and to save us the stress of worrying about trying to sell and not lose money again after possibly being here only short term. We'll see.. we've done a little internet search but just waiting on the word first!:)

Grace "Taking Everything In"

Grace is quiet the worker these days. She is really 'working hard' at stacking books up and picking up her toys and handing them all to us one by one or putting them in a pile or bucket (or whatever) one by one! We are putting that to good use and teaching her to pick up her toys and put them in a bucket for her toy box! She really enjoys doing these things and is 'figuring' out her surrounding more and more. As I am typing, she is bringing our shoes from the kitchen and putting them on top of each other beside my chair!:) She also like trying to match the shapes on her toys and knows how to hit buttons that make music play on her toys, etc. She can also show us where her belly button is (see video) and she is AMAZED by this new found 'thing' on her belly! She will just look at it and smile and laugh!:) She is trying to say more words these day too! She has said 'dog', what sounded like "Allie", and probably more! I don't remember if I said before but she has been OFF the bottle for a few weeks now or so, and we officially FINALLY pulled the bumper pads out of the crib a week ago. We had not taken them out because Grace liked to 'snuggle' into them and she liked them. She also has never attempted to climb in the crib so we weren't really worried about that but the more she started walking around, etc. I decided we weren't going to risk her safety any more and we removed them! She didn't know what to think at first and she would cry at first when we put her down to sleep because it was 'different' but she has quickly adjusted!

She also acts like she is talking on the phone and holds her phone up to her head but she puts it past her ear. It looks so funny!

She is getting very carried away with her walking. She will start walking really fast to a run almost and she is not quiet ready for this yet!:) We have to tell her to slow down because we are afraid she will fall and hurt her self. She has also learned how to 'reverse' or walk backwards in the last couple of days.:)

She has started this new thing with Allie (our Pomeranian) where she is wanting to chase her and pull on her... we have to stop her from getting Allie! Now she is attempting to climb the stairs. You might have seen.. the baby gates are all in place now!.... What can I say... she is a 'mess'!

Fun Summer Times

Yesterday, I put Grace in her baby pool again. I decided to just let her wear a little swimmer, hence, that is why she has no clothes on!:) She also really likes to play on the deck! She finds little leaves and leaf stems, etc. and wants to eat them. I am constantly getting leaves out of her mouth when we are out there!:) She LOVES being outside! Posting a video at the end!

I am also posting a pic of her watching T.V. She has gotten to where she really likes T.V and esp. some of the cartoons and children's shows! She even loves Home Improvement (that Adam watches) and she will stand or sit right in from of the T.V and not move and watch these shows. She LOVES Sesame Street, Barney, Jack's Big Music Show, Blues Clues, etc. etc. As a matter of fact, we will have to turn the T.V. OFF some times to get her to play more!:)

Grace looking at her self in the oven!:)

Watching Sesame Street.. I couldn't even get her to turn around long enough to look at me she was so 'engulfed'!

Watching Home Improvement!

HUGE Prayer Request!

I just got word that Jamie Tyler Howard's 2 year old son died in a tragic drowning death last night. I heard he drowned in their neighbor's pool! I grew up with Jamie and she is married to Lee Howard. This family is in AL. I CANNOT imagine what they must be going through.. but please PRAY! It is just another reminder of how life can be gone just like that and how things happen so fast! It is so scary!

Thanks you all!

14 Month Pictures

These are some pictures we just had taken last week. We had tried some on our own but decided to go ahead and get some taken at Portrait Innovations. These are scans so please excuse the quality, just wanted to get them on here so everybody could get a look until we can get them to you! If you look you can see a little bruise from her fall on her forehead! :( Enjoy!

More Life Transitions!

Wow.. it's been a while since a post..........

Just to let every one know... we moved churches here in Louisville. We are now going to Highview Baptist Church at Valley Station Campus. This came as a result of much thought and prayer and especially on the part of Adam. He had become friends with a guy that is on staff out at Highview and had been talking to him for months about our situation. He had been encouraging us to come to his church for a while and Adam had mentioned this to me quiet a few times but we decided that we might visit after the Spring Semester of school was completed. You see... Adam has been feeling like he needs to serve at church more and get more ministry experience while we are here. It has been very hard for him to do that especially with his schedule.... which included him working every Sunday evening and Wednesday night. The church where we were at has TONS of seminary students and families there so there is not as much opportunity to serve in the capacity that Adam was feeling led to be in... On the other hand, the church at Valley Station is a smaller church with more opportunities/ needs and they have many things they are wanting to do with the church including a MAJOR effort to reach out to the community that it is in! (It is across town from where we live- about 25 minutes). Also, the 'Administration' person on staff there at Valley Station was looking for an intern. Adam had also talked with him and Highview has a special internship program and there is an opportunity to be an intern. This is really good because Adam feels more led to be in a administrative, associate, etc. position at a church.

With this said... at first... this was not easy for me! When Adam became really serious about making the move I couldn't picture myself going thru another transition right now! I really liked Ninth and O Baptist and had gotten very 'plugged in' there esp. in the Women's Ministry and have made a lot of wonderful friends and fellow Moms. We visited the church at Valley Station and I really liked the church and the direction the church is going... but at first, I still couldn't picture starting over making new friends, etc. and getting plugged in there. I prayed about this and talked to one of my dear Christian friend that is at Ninth and O and asked her opinion also. She told me what I was beginning to believe......... that 'We as wives ultimately must follow our husbands lead and this is something that he felt led to do to grow as a Christian (because he was excited about the vision, plans, and heart of the church), and to prepare him self for ministry, etc.) I continued to pray about it and the Lord softened my heart and has showed me that I need to re-direct my focus!.... All of this is not about ME and my comforts!:) Also, after all....... we did come here for ministry!!:)

Since this move, Adam has been able to work it out with his job to be off on Sunday now!!! Praise the Lord! It is usually required of the part time workers to work on Sunday.. but they agreed to let him be off now on Sundays since he has been faithful to be there on Sundays for so long in the past! This has allowed us to get involved with a special outreach and service on Sunday nights at Valley Station!

We have been going about a month now and I have to say that it is really going great! There are still a good many young married couples and young families in the church and the church is growing! Every one has been so nice and I can tell that we will have a lot in common with most of them. One couple has invited us over for dinner already but we just have to find a day that works for all of us!!:)

Anyways....... what excites me most is now I understand why Adam was and is so excited about the vision and heart of the church. The staff members and people of this church are VERY passionate about evangelism and reaching people in the community! You can just hear and see how burdened the pastor is for people around him. He is constantly looking for ideas to minister to single moms?, young "lost" men, families that need Jesus, etc. etc.. They have started the ministry on Sunday nights to try to reach the young men, and they are trying to reach kids and families... through helping kids with school work for free, etc. etc. With this being said... the whole point is not to bring any Praise to the people of the church but SOLEY to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus and many lives, and families to be changed forever!

This is so AWESOME and the Lord has really done a work on Adam and I already to be more like HIM. This has truly changed my focus about every aspect of my life and made me see that I have been getting it all wrong! I most use my life for HIM and to tell others about Jesus more frequently! :)

As I have told some of the Ninth and O girls.......... it is AMAZING how God knows what we REALLY need!:)

Ups and 'Downs'!

Well, Grace officially started walking a couple of weeks ago! She really did during Mom's visit. Adam calls her 'Otis' (like Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show because she is so wobbly and walks around like she is 'drunk'!:) With this said... yesterday she had her first REAL accident. She fell and hit her head on the leg of the coffee table. It was pretty loud and scared Adam and I very much! Of course, she was screaming crying right after that and Adam and I kind of panicked right away because it started swelling up pretty big and turning blue immediately. It looked so bad we actually got her in the car to get it seen about and called our Pediatrician but before we could hardly get out of the house she was back to her normal self. When the pediatrician called she was sure that she was ok and just asked how she was acting etc. after the accident. We ended up turning around and coming back home! The doctor told us to go ahead and put her down for bed and to wake her after a couple of hours and just make sure that she will be alert and acting 'normal' and put her back down to sleep if she is ok! Needless, to say she has been fine and I KNOW these things just happen.... but we wish we could have prevented it!! So sad to see your child hurt! I guess, it probably bothers us more than her... She has been good today.. Praise God!

As you can see, it doesn't even look that bad today. Still a little swollen and some bruising in the middle of her forehead and down her nose some...

On a happier note.. Grace is really fun to watch how she is learning more and more sounds, gestures, and making so many associations. She amazes us some times by the things that she knows! For instance, she has a certain book that we will read to her and do hand gestures and the other day I just opened the front cover of this book and she KNEW exactly which book it was and started doing the gesture herself BEFORE I did it! We also noticed her trying to feed her baby milk from her sippy cup. She held the baby in her lap and was given her the 'bottle'!:) She also, mimics more and more gestures and sounds all of the time. She will also bring me my shoes and put them down to my feet and try to move them to put them on my feet for me.. but can't quiet place them on yet! It is still so NEAT to watch her and to know that she can make that association that shoes go on feet! I could go on and on about this...

She is very 'intent' on the task of feeding her baby:)

Grace has also started to wear hats a little better. Her Daddy is LOVING this! He keeps trying to put her little cap on her because I know he likes seeing his little girl in a cap!:) I got some pics of her in the cap and some in her pool!

Mom's Birthday Visit

My mom (Holly) came in for a visit last Wednesday and left on Monday. We had a great time with her and did a lot while she was here. I was looking forward to her spending more days here so we could actually have time to do a few things. On Thursday we went to Kohl's and I got to see Mom actually shop for herself some... because she had some gift cards that she got for her Birthday (to Kohl's) and of course a few goodies for us too! We just cooked hamburgers and things for supper. On Friday, I have been wanting to go to the Summit (outdoor shopping) for a while and Mom and I took Grace on Friday and it was SOOO pretty and so nice to be out and shop with Mom. Later that night, we took Mom to the Olive Garden for supper because it was her Birthday on Friday and this was a gift to my Mom from my brother and his fiance. They set up call ahead seating and the waiters/ waitresses sang Happy Birthday to Mom and she got a free dessert! She was very surprised!

On Saturday, our neighborhood was having a yard sale and we walked around and drove around to some yard sales. Adam and I have been looking for a chest of drawers or something like that to sit our T.V. on and other things in our bedroom. The one we have is caving in and I am afraid that one day it is going to collapse! We didn't find one. We will keep looking. I just don't want to spend a lot of money on something because we just need something that is decent that will serve it's purpose. We went to walmart later in the day and got Grace a swimming pool. I have been thinking that she needs one because I was sure she would love it.. and she did! I will post some pics and maybe a video later. On Saturday night we went out to Cheesecake Factory (we had a gift card that was from our Birthdays) and Mom was gracious enough to watch Grace. It was very nice and we got to eat outside and enjoy the weather and the dessert was FANTASTIC! We went to a few stores and just had a delightful evening!!:)

On Sunday, we went to church and Mom and Grace went home after church to put her down for a nap while we were able to go out with some really great friends from church and ate Mexican for lunch! It was a great time. Mom chose to do this and we are thankful for the time we had this weekend! Later that evening we all went to Target and Mom and I went to a few shops while Grace was napping. Then Monday morning... off to the airport to take Mom! :(

She LOVED being in her swimsuit!:)

She kept wanting to EAT the crayons! Below, she was leaning her head back and she thought it was funny b/c she was mimicking her Daddy!:)

Happy Birthday Mom!

My (Holly) mother's Birthday is today! Thankfully, she gets to spend it here with us! Yes... she is here visiting us through till Monday! We are spending a lot of good quality time with each other and of course, Grace LOVES to see her Nana!

More on this later..............

Grace's 1st Zoo trip!

Adam, Grace, and I loaded up this past Saturday and went to the zoo. This was Grace's first time to go to the zoo and when we walked through the gate Grace was SOOO excited. She saw all the kids everywhere running around and playing and she gets so happy. (She always likes seeing other babies or kids!) This was before we seen any of the animals. She did very good at the zoo and she would look at the animals and just enjoyed spending the day outside with all the activity. The animals didn't scare her.. (they never have.. as far as dogs, etc.) It was a great day spent with each other as a family! Memories to last a lifetime!

Don't know why some of these pics are not very clear after the upload....

You can tell.. she wasn't so sure about these Gorillas!

Tuckered out! We were hoping she would go to sleep if we gave her the paci... but she wouldn't. She was afraid she might miss something....!:)

'Year' Pics!

These are pics we took on our own of Grace yesterday at the Seminary. I have been wanting to get some 'year' pics of her every since she turned one year old and I really wanted some outdoor pics. We really couldn't pay for professional pics to be taken so I got the idea that we could take our own! I think they turned out pretty good considering I don't have a professional camera. I have been playing with them and editing them some and I will be doing more editing probably before getting any printed. I am posting them as a slide show so you can get a glimpse of what all we have done....