proverbs 31:10

each wednesday atlee takes sewing lessons...one component of the class is scripture memory- this was her verse for today...i thought she did a smashing job...and i look forward to watching her recite the entire poem by the end of the year...one extra bonus- in helping her memorize- i'm forced to memorize too!

big B turns 3!

beckett turned 3 on august 8th...we celebrated his birthday at tyler and areamy's home in wichita surrounded by much precious family- including his six cousins!

happy birthday baby

avalon ryan turned one on august 18th. i know everyone always says this...but i can't believe how fast this year passed by!!

first day

this is atlee on her first day of kindergarten! when she got home she reported "i didn't think i was going to like it...but i loved it!"

following my leader wherever he may go

one of those sweet moments when you realize that the scream of your kids

needs to be the cry of your heart.

losing teeth

imagine our surprise a few weeks ago when our precious atlee discovered her first loose tooth...ironically, the tooth loose in her mouth was in the exact spot that avalon was growing her first tooth. for weeks atlee wiggled the tooth until last night at the dinner table she attempted to turn it in a circle (it was that loose) and it popped right out into her hand. jeff and i exchanged a glance...that somehow communicated "wow, she is getting big...a remaining tiny piece of her babyhood now gone" and then we went on to celebrate the moment. the tooth was passed around, everyone inspecting it...we began to speculate what the tooth fairy would bring...and soon the dishes were left on the table and atlee and beckett dashed upstairs to take a bath. the next half hour was a blur, somehow teeth got brushed, the baby got a bottle, bodies got washed, stories got told, good night kisses were given, and re-given and everyone got tucked into bed. jeff and i found ourselves back in the kitchen reflecting on the events of the day and getting caught up on life. jeff was washing dishes, i was wiping the table when i asked "where is the tooth?" "right by my glass, on the table" jeff said as he turned his head around. and, it was at that moment that we relized the tooth was gone. now, take a moment a reflect...what color would you consider a tooth? white? - not really, more like- tiny bits of salmon mixed with pasta and onions satued in butter- which is exactly what we had for dinner! how convenient!! we searched the trash...no luck...we searched the garbage disposal- nothing. so now...the tooth exists only in a picture- and that's okay...and lucky for us, the tooth next to the empty spot is wiggling too.