Little Family Photo Session

The past few weeks have been super busy around here. Patrick got engaged to Taren Bullock and we are beginning wedding planning and celebrations there. We love Taren and are so excited she will be becoming a part of our family. I truly couldn't have asked for a better girl for Patrick!

We celebrated Sweet Kelsey's High School Graduations, pictures and post to come. And we received a surprise visit from Ryan!! It has been almost 2 years since we have seen Ryan or his family. We last got together in New Orleans just before they left for Hawaii. Ryan came in just in time for Kelsey's graduation so for several days my Mom got to have all three of her kids together in one place! Of course I had to document the occasion with a quick little photo session. It was a little difficult to work with a timer and get Mom and Everett to look at the camera but I think we got a few keepers from the mix!

15 month old boy!

Sweet Everett turned 15 months on Wednesday! We celebrated with shots and he didn't even cry.

Everett is weighing in at 25.6 lbs, 31 inches long, 87 and 93 percentiles respectively. He is doing all things that are expected of a 15 month old including getting around by himself (still not officially walking although he has taken a few steps on his own) and recognizing all sorts of objects. He has also added "ball" and "dog" to his vocabulary although he only says it when he feels like it and usually not for an audience other than Mom and Dad. Everett has a ferocious appetite which has involved picking around his veggies lately. Recently he has discovered a love of a classic PB&J sandwich and enjoys eating them with his Nana (my Mom).

We have seen a few tantrums from our little bear, usually when he can't be held and wants to be or when he isn't getting to eat what he thinks he needs. These tantrums involve a scrunched up face and flinging himself backwards, a nice preview of what is to come I am sure. Everett is "sharing" things with adults, not so much kiddos yet, he likes to hand out snacks or his sippee cup to whomever is nearby. We have baby proofed all cabinets, drawers, the toilet and screen door all of which he mastered opening before we got this done. Everett is fast... I mean a FAST crawler. If not in a contained area do not turn around because he will be gone in a flash. Drew and Everett's Gran-Nana have both fallen victim to his speed recently. Everett is a big lover and gets enjoyment from sharing his kisses with anyone and everyone except the person who is asking the most for them, he usually makes that person suffer while he kisses everyone else and then chuckles at their loss.

Everett is still an excellent sleeper, going down for 12 hours a night and then taking a two hour nap... I am blessed! His favorite book right now is a Jesus loves me book that sings out loud. He barely has anything to do with his walker unless Norah is over and they can bumper car together. Everett loves to swing outside and will quickly laugh when his Dad jumps out of the way of the swing saying "ouch" like he got hit. Everett loves this little game. Everett loves to look out the window and screen doors and most particularly when it is time for his Dad to come home. I tell him to watch for Dada and he goes to his spot, as soon as Drew pulls up he begins jumping up and down on his knees and waving his arms. But when Drew comes in the door Everett crawls away to "hide" a game he also thinks is so fun!

Our sweet boy is going full time to the nursery at church and even though he cries when we leave him we are told it doesn't last long and he enjoys his time.  Everett has always been an observer of things around him and this continues. He is a full on flirt... we cannot go anywhere where people are not giving him attention and telling how precious he is. He greets all of this with his wrinkled nose face, some aren't sure if he is going to cry which he never does, and sometimes a little snort. If Everett is not getting attention from strangers around him he seems to think something is wrong and begins to seek it out. Recently at a graduation event for Kelsey, Everett realized there were rows of people sitting behind us and stood up in my arms waving and making faces to entertain them. To the man to our left who was not paying attention he leaned over and stuck his head out until he got the attention he wanted. We have a full on entertainer... he is a lot like his Nana.

Everett my love you are your Father and I's absolute Love and Joy! We miss you when you sleep or are away from us. We love to watch you grow and discover the world around you. You make us laugh harder than anything else. You love us unconditionally and give us all the kisses and hugs we want. You continue to be a sweet and easy baby. We take you anywhere and everywhere and with the exception of you learning to use your voice and wanting to be on the move at all times you are an excellent companion. We are madly in love with you little bear! Thank you for letting us love on you and be  your parents!

A little trip to Dallas

A few weeks ago I braved taking Mom & Everett to Dallas for the weekend. Patrick had really been wanting us to come down to meet some important people in his life and Drew had a trip already planned to go visit our new niece in California, so I took them on my own. I loaded up the car with both of their favorite snacks and lots of movies, had them both in the backseat and off we went. Everett is a good little traveler and did great right up until the very end when he had had enough! It was helpful to have Mom in the backseat handing him things even though it wasn't always what I was asking for her to give him.

Patrick had a big weekend planned. We drove in Thursday night to meet him for dinner and then Friday we met for lunch and went to the Dallas World Aquarium. It was awesome! I highly recommend it to anyone in the area looking for a way to kill a few hours. I was expecting lots of different aquariums but it is really like a rain forest over several stories that you walk through. Lots of birds, reptiles, and giant fish. Mom was constantly afraid of the animals getting her, sometimes I think its a bit of an act, but she loved it as did Everett. The coolest part to me, aside from being face to face with an anaconda was the Manatee swimming in the pond. You see the pond from the very top and can see the backs of all these giant fish but it's not until you get to the underground part that you see the manatee. So cool! Anyway after that Everett needed a nap and without having to go back to the hotel we decided to go to the Perot Natural History Museum so I could push him around and let him nap that way. After already walking around quite a bit we were a little tired and I hate to say didn't quite get in to the Perot like I would have wanted. We did all enjoy the dinosaur exhibit but after that Mom was pretty much ready to go. We had a great evening waiting out a massive storm at Taren's house eating Pizza with Patrick and Taren watching the Mav's playoff game. Saturday morning Mom, Everett and I got out to do a little shopping around before meeting Patrick, Taren and her parents in downtown Ft. Worth for lunch.

Patrick and Taren have been dating for a little over a year now and they are sure they are "the ones" for one another. We couldn't be more happy with his pick but more on that another time. Taren's Mom, Emily, attended ACU the same year that Mom did and knew of her as well as some of the other family. I am so glad that someone in Taren's family knew of Mom before her disease, who knew somewhat of her personality as it truly was, of her vivacious life! Mom was very quiet throughout lunch as she tends to be in new settings. Everett was clinging to me for dear life, I tried to pass him off to her a few times because she really comes to life when she is with him but he was not having it. Our plan was to go to the Ft. Worth Zoo after lunch and Taren's Mom was going to come with us. We got really lucky and got both of her parent's to come. It was a great afternoon spent with people who are so important to Patrick and looking at God's humor in the creation of animals. Topping our night off with Cheesecake Factory it was a great weekend trip.

By Saturday night though I was exhausted and worn down. Everett had decided to absolutely HATE the hotel and not let me put him down much less out of his sight while in the hotel room. This was incredibly difficult as Mom's disease makes her more confused in the mornings and evenings needing lots of extra help. After two days already of this, Everett screaming crying when I put him down and Mom getting anxious and angry I lost it a little bit. We were driving home from dinner with Finding Nemo on in the car and Mom asked if it was OK for Everett to watch this show. My mind flashed back to trips to Target or Best Buy with her hunting down the copies of whatever Disney movie had just been "released from the vault to never be released again." She was desperate to get copies of everything for her future grandchildren. I scoured her closet before we left and was so grateful for her diligence and time in hunting so that Everett could watch these. And now she was asking if it was "OK" for him to watch them. I lost it on the highway navigating my way home. She became immediately worried and I blamed it on missing Drew. As we got back to the hotel and I began the difficult task of getting them ready for bed and packing up our belongings. As Everett cried and Mom paced I began to lose it again. She was concerned and I told her I just missed her. That I missed my Mom and needed her. She said I know and began to cry to. She came over and wrapped her arms around me, very unusual for her, and told me she loved me. I felt a little touch on my arms and raised my head to see Everett beaming up at me hugging me too and giving me sugars. It was in that sweet little moment that I pulled myself together and knew that we would all make it out alive. A little dramatic maybe but for a time I really wasn't so sure. Mom told me "that I would see him soon" and I realized she was still thinking that I was missing Drew. I thought for a moment that she was really with me and knew what I was talking about but even so that moment meant to much to me!

Drew and I have recently decided to place membership at a Church of Christ here in Amarillo. It is a church that is more "conservative" than I thought we would end up at but the sense of family has been such a drawing factor for us. I like knowing that among other things Everett will be surrounded by people who know and love his extended family, who have amazing respect for his great-grandparents and grandmother, and I like knowing that he will be raised singing the hymns I was brought up on. It may not have the excitement of a band behind it but the words hit my heart just the same and immediately take me back to my childhood.

One of the good things about choosing this church is that we can worship with my Mom and Nana every Sunday morning. When we first began attending periodically with them before Drew and I got married I loved how alive Mom was at church. She made her way from pew to pew greeting old friends, loving on the elderly and helping those in need by carrying things for them or just giving them a hug. I loved that when so many words escaped her mind the songs she grew up singing to the Lord were written on her heart and the words flowed freely from her voice. My heart truly sung along with her as she worshiped because in that hour at church I felt my Mom was really with me.

Now I still love sitting next to her, holding her hand and passing communion to one another, but the disease has crept in. The songs don't come so easily any longer. She does a really terrific job at singing along, just behind what the congregation has sung... a second delay, but it's not the same. When we pass communion she forgets to break the cracker and just takes a whole piece. During the sermon I often catch her dosing off.  I was surprised this morning to hear her echo some of the congregation's "Amen" to a point the preacher made... she was surprised as well. In a place that is sacred, a place where I have cherished being alongside my Mom, I now feel her slipping away there as well.

Several weeks ago the preacher was doing a sermon on laying sins at the foot of the cross. Everyone in the congregation was to take a piece of paper and write a sin or two on it that we wanted to give to God. After some time he asked everyone to come up and pin our paper to a cross that had been erected at the front of the auditorium. Drew, and I quickly followed the crowd as did Nana and Patrick ,who was visiting that weekend. Before I made it off our row I noticed Mom just standing not knowing what to do. I sat with her and asked her what sins she wanted to confess to God. She didn't know of any. So I ran through a quick list of sins that I thought may strike a nerve with her, she said "yea" to a few and we jotted them down and walked hand in hand to the cross. She was confused but proud to have been able to participate. I wept. How could she not even be able to comprehend what a sin was? How could so much have been taken from her?

I had been on a search for a new bible the past month or so. The bible I carried with me to Thailand and Africa now being too compact for me to read. Sad! After going to every store in town that carries Bibles I decided I should be a bible designer because no one had what I wanted. Nevertheless I was trying to decide between a leather, somewhat girly large print NIV and plain maroonish softcover NIV that reminded me of Nana and Grandy's Bibles. After deciding on the latter and asking Mom her opinion she said to me "Meg it doesn't matter if its pretty or not because it is about God!" She may lose her words but she will not lose her love for God and knowledge that he is most important! In that I take extreme comfort!!

Hoppy Easter 2015

This Easter was truly such a blessing... The sacrifice our Lord made for our atonement was all the sweeter and more heartbreaking after living the past year with our very own son. The glory of the Lord and his power resonated through me in a new way this year as I felt chills truly upon rereading and mediating on the truth... He is Risen! What a mighty God we serve! I cannot wait for Everett to learn and grow in the truth of our Faith and the full meaning behind Jesus' actions.

Celebrating Everett's second Easter was truly a Joy. I had been adamant that while in Santa Fe we find him a stuffed bunny to bring home and give to the Easter Bunny for his basket. I wanted it to be a keepsake for him later in life that reminds him how much we missed him and thought of him on our first getaway. Upon scouring several toy stores off the Plaza I finally found the sweetest little gray bunny for our boy. It topped off his first Easter basket! Everett tore right into his basket after breakfast on Sunday and worked the eggs like a champ! I had a hard time figuring out what to put in the eggs and finally settled on animal crackers and gummies. He opened the eggs, and then ripped the plastic connector apart and picked his goodies off the floor that had tumbled out when he opened it. He discovered it was a fun game and immediately searched his basket for more eggs! He was very proud of his accomplishments!

 Drew and I have been putting Everett in the nursery at church on Sunday mornings but decided we wanted to keep him with us for Easter service. The church had a choir on the stage and as they sang Everett raised his hands to them, it was truly precious! He proceeded to sit between Mom and Nana turned facing the congregation sitting behind us the rest of the time entertaining them with laughs, waves, and squinty eyed faces. I finally decided to take Everett to the nursery half way through the sermon because I was worried he was distracting the entire congregation. After the service Nana and I each had several people come up to us telling us how adorable he was and how they loved watching him. I even got scolded for taking him out! It was very special to have him with us as we celebrated and praised God for his awesomeness! I had helped Mom lay out a dress two days before church... a dress I had bought for her upon graduating high school because it reminded me of the dress Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman. When we saw it at Dillard's Mom loved it! She hasn't worn it in a long time and I wasn't sure she would put it on for Easter, but when we walked into church there she was in all her brown and white Polk-a-dot glory looking truly beautiful!!

Aunt Tammy had prepared an Incredible Sunday feast at Casa Loco after church. We were served chicken cordon bleu on fine china on a table decorated with precious Easter bunnies. Everett's high chair was covered in gifts from his Nana, Gran-Nana, Mimi and Kelsey! Doss and Charlotte brought banana pudding and we were all stuffed after lunch. Drew and I took Everett over to his Grandma White's afterwards to watch his cousins Blaine and Kennedy hunt Easter eggs. He had a Easter basket waiting for him over there with bubbles he loved and a football he proceeded to eat a big chunk out of!

It was a blessed and happy Easter spent with amazing family!

2 Years of Marital Bliss

This past weekend Drew and I celebrated 2 years of marriage. After planning, stressing, thinking, cancelling and re-planning we finally decided to spend our Anniversary weekend in the place we said "I do," Santa Fe, NM.

This getaway would mark the first time we left Everett overnight and I was filled with anxiety about it initially. We left Everett in the caring arms of my Aunt Tammy, Kelsey, Mom and Nana. Who better to look after him for the weekend than those 4?!

Drew made reservations at La Posada de Santa Fe, the resort we got married at. So we left Everett with the family on Saturday morning and headed out of town. Nana had given me good advice when I was telling her nervous I was to leave Everett. She told me what a hard time she had leaving Uncle Mike the first time and then told me how I need to nurture my marriage and time away together is much deserved. She also told me Drew needs to know that "he is enough." So as we drove away from the house leaving Everett in his highchair surrounded by loving hands feeding him breakfast I repeated the mantra "My Marriage needs this." "I deserve this." "He will be ok." and "Drew needs to know he is enough!" in my head over and over.

Turns out God's peace covered me and I was able to easily relax into a weekend getaway of hand holding with my husband without worrying about sippee cups, snacks and strollers. We ate at restaurants on the balcony, strolled through small shops, and relaxed on our private porch. We wondered through the place our wedding was held. Looked for souvenirs for Everett (Drew found a pocket knife with his name engraved in it, needless to say this is one we will hold on to for a while before giving to him.) We had a couples massage, visited the casino, and ate some amazing pizza. We wondered the streets in the morning looking for my favorite place to get Eggs Benedict, when we found it had shut down obviously not everyone else's favorite place, we tried out a new cafe overlooking a busy street filled with pedestrians. We sat on no one's time frame but our own and it was awesome!

I didn't realize how needed a weekend getaway was. How I needed time with my husband and how he needed time with me. It was the perfect way to spend our 2nd anniversary.

We have learned a lot in 2 years of marriage. Ups and Downs. Laughter and Tears. We've learned how to care of a precious son without biting each others heads off and we've survived. We are more in love than we were 2 years ago, accomplished more and found courage we didn't know we had. I am so thankful for the commitment we made that day and how we are living it every day after. I look forward to the lessons we will learn in this next year and the many many after that. Throughout it all I continue to be in awe and inspired by my husband and his love for our family.

Happy 2 years to the love of my life!

Beauty from the inside out

A few days ago She came along with me as my "assistant" on a photo shoot, this really consisted of her standing behind me and picking things up and randomly moving them around... but we were together and that made it special. Before my clients arrived I had her test the lighting for me. She stood there for a  bit before finally cracking her smile. I asked her to "give me some moves" and  as a result she danced for a minute.

Looking at these photos I see so much of you still here. Your smile, Your radiance, your spirit is in there! Things are getting very difficult for you. Small things are a challenge. Personal things are a challenge. You hate it. I think so often that I know you would absolutely hate to know you were living like this. You would be embarassed and angry.

Everett and I took you to the salon yesterday to get your hair done, a new girl styled it out for you and when you got up from her chair you hugged her and told her you loved her. She wasn't sure how to respond but my heart was bursting. We got Starbucks after and I didn't even ask what you wanted, wanting to not cause you frustration or confusion I just ordered your perferred drink. You told me 4 times "Thank you for helping me." I told you I would help you all the days of your life and you just smiled.

Sunday at church we sat on the pew with you and you were so proud. I heard a lady talking with Nana ask where you were, Nana pointed you out sitting and talking with an elderly man with both smiles shining brightly on your faces. You have such a tender heart. The lady remarked on how beautiful you were, I couldn't help but agree. You don't wear makeup much anymore, another thing I would think you would hate! But your beauty shines none the less. Mom your soul is so pure and of the Lord. I know he has amazing plans for you. I see it when you smile, when you make others smile and feel loved. You are so much like your Dad in that way.

I tell you I am proud of you, you ask why. Tears spring to my eyes as I try and tell you how courageous you are. You just tell me you are proud of me and then make Everett laugh. He adores you. I love to see your faces when you first see one another. I am so grateful for the time you two have together.

I am proud to be your daughter. I love you madly.

Never Forget!