Grandmama and Granddaddy visit!

Meeting the newest grandson!

Hi, Grandmama!

So happy to see Granddaddy!

Dad and Nathan grilled steaks on our new (happy anniversary and Father's Day!) charcoal grill. Mmm! See the little girls playing with the hose (I mean watering the vegetables) in the background?

Loving Grandmama

And Granddaddy too!

Nathaniel loves his Daddy! And Daddy loves his Nathaniel. =)

Sweet smiley boy!

Munchkins mid-May

We're loving this boy's smile! And those striped pjs are 3-6 months. . . he's almost done with 0-3s!

 Giving each other hugs

 All that cuteness!

 All that sweetness!

 All that trouble!

 So thankful for our three blessings!

Hannah is potty trained! We started last Monday and Wednesday she figured it out. Those are Huggies potty training stickers plastered across her front. The current challenge is weaning her off of "tweats." She can go every 15 minutes to get another M&M. Now we're trying. . . "dry till lunch" and "dry till bedtime" rewards. =) Back to just one in diapers!

Sisters and cousins - May 10th

What a treat to drive just an hour to visit Lydia and girls in their new home (Tom was still working in Maryland during the week)! Abigail and Hannah couldn't wait to get there and Nathaniel sweetly slept the whole way there (and cried the whole way home - sorry Erika!).

We had a fun lunch on their back porch. . . the girls thought they were grown up enjoying their goodies at their own table! Lydia is eight months pregnant and didn't want pictures, so I just took ones of our little girls.

Popsicles/icecream afterwards were yummy and messy!

Hmmm. . . I think we turned the hose on to rinse fallen popsicle and then sticky fingers and then little girls claimed it. And they all ended up soaked. =)

Children at home. . . Baby's two months old!

Do you think Hannah loves her baby brother? She calls him "Baby Daniel." And he's beginning to look a little stout. =)

Did you know how exciting it is to wash dishes? Nathan injured his back at work one night recently and wisely began putting the stool in front of the kitchen sink for hand-washing (instead of us lifting Hannah up). Only problem is, that gives Hannah easy access to the sink. Whenever it crosses her mind, she perks up and exclaims "Dishes!" and runs to the sink. The real joy is in the running water.

 Abigail took this picture of Mommy and her boy one night while Jennie Lue was over. . .

And the first smile we've captured on camera - they're quick flashes that don't wait!

Nathaniel two months old. At his checkup, he weighed 12 pounds, 5 ounces and was 22.5 inches long. Our baby boy is growing fast!

Big sisters forever asking to hold their brother. . . love it, and them!

Ree and Calvin's renewal ceremony

April 30th our friends Ree and Calvin renewed their vows to one another and had a wedding-like ceremony and celebration since they'd been unable have a traditional wedding when they were married three years ago. Nathan, Nathaniel and I were honored to take part.

Ree and her bridesmaids (me, cousin Starry, sister Kandis, and friend Carrie Ann)

Ree and Calvin's younger son Andre was glad to be in his mommy's arms again!

Ree and Calvin's older son Desmirion was worn out from the late night before and all the excitement and finally fell asleep in my lap.

The happy bride and groom - Calvin and Ree (Shirkisha)

My handsome escorts!

Visits from our friends

Nathaniel, Hannah, (Stephanie the doll) Abigail, Asher and Karis. Karis stayed with us two days a week until her little brother was born last November. It was fun to get together again!

We love "Baby Sky." (In fact, before Nathaniel was born, Hannah was sure that the new baby joining our family would be "BeBe Kye." Sky's family brought us pizza for supper!

Bing's birthday was the day before so we celebrated. . . she had plenty of help with her cake and candles!

Sweet and crazy children

All of these pictures were snapped on/from the couch within two minutes time on April 25.

Nathaniel almost seven weeks old

Hannah two years old

Abigail five years old

Resurrection Sunday

Now is Christ risen from the dead! We rejoiced to celebrate Easter and pray for the days when our little ones will receive new life in Jesus!

The Power of the Cross

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

Final Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Words & Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
© 2005 Thankyou Music.

Mid-April

 This little boy gets lots of attention from his big sisters!

 We "finally" had Jennie Lue over to meet "our baby" (hers too =) and she enjoyed feeding Nathaniel a bottle (with supervision from Abigail).

April 18 the children (can't say "the girls" anymore!) and I met Ree and her boys at the park to play and have a picnic lunch. The warm weather and time with friends did us all good! Desmirion and Abigail always have fun together!

 Hannah and Andre enjoyed the swings (Nathaniel stayed with me in the Moby wrap quite contentedly)

 Ree and Andre

 Devoted big sister Abigail wanted to be in Nathaniel's weekly picture =)

 Cute enough? Love those big round eyes! Six weeks old already!

Wanna kiss those cheeks!