The Time Has Come...

The past 2 weeks have flown by and have been very full of activity...but fun activity so that is always better :) I have hardly had time to sit down at the computer or to download pictures (although many have been taken!) I am going to try to catch up on the highlights so that they can be forever recorded in blog history! We are an excited little family as tomorrow we will witness the boys school program (promising to be a big event!) and then we head north to spend the holidays with family!!! It has been 3 years since we have been with family for Christmas and we are quite ready for it. We will be with my family in Canada for a cold, white Christmas I am sure...and then back to Texas to bring in 2009 with Benjy's fam. Please pray for our travels and that we might recognize the goodness of the season and the gift of our Savior and cherish our moments with loved ones...the same desire everyone has!

 

Our family wishes you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2009! We would love to see you while we are in our crazy travels - contact us and let's make a plan!!

Chase Turns 4 With a Dinosaur Roar!

Chase approached his 4th birthday with much anticipation...asking day after day in advance if today was his birt-day. Him reaching the milestone of 4 years seems to have happened as quickly as he entered into our lives in 2004. When the morning of the 2nd finally came we filled his bed with balloons and he woke up to us all around him singing "Happy Birthday" - he sat up, rubbed his eyes and plainly said, "thank you"...almost as though it was a regular occurance. Chase makes me smile.

He had chosen months ago that he wanted a dinosaur party so dinosaurs it was...right down to the dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets (likely no one noticed this except me - its all about the little details people!!!)

Since his birthday fell midweek we waited until the weekend to have his party. I brought a cake to his school on Tuesday and he was as proud as punch to be the birthday boy! We went bowling as a family and had a great time...then celebrated with the church and some school friends on Sunday afternoon. Check out a few pictures of the celebration of this little man's life. But...first let me tell you how much we love our Chaser. He is full of life and makes everyone around him realize that life should be lived to the fullest and is full of suprises. You can rarely expect an ordinary interaction with this kid. The things he says and the things he does are usually done with total gusto... Chase is as quick to charm and be sweet as he is to run his own direction with his own spirit of determination. It has been said before between Benjy and I that no child has ever been named more appropriately. He loves to run and jump and play...he is all boy. His laugh is completely contagious! Because of Chase we are completely convinced as parents that every child is different. He has caused us to be creative and to reinvent parenting techniques that became old hat before. He doesn't fit anyone elses mold and although that can be a challenge - I do believe it is an attribute that is going to take this boy a long way in life. He is a great big brother...always anxious for Pierce to wake up so he can play with him... and a great little brother....so looking up to Reece that now he suddenly doesn't like chocolate anymore either (because Reece doesn't!) We absolutely love this boy and praise God for placing him in our family - Chaser, we think you are a pretty special guy and thank you for what you bring to our lives. We love you much. Happy 4th birthday!!

10 And Counting....

 

10 years ago we began this journey together called marriage. What an adventure it has been! Our lives have been interwoven in such a way that it seems like he has always been a part of mine... and I wouldn't have it any other way. It makes me happy to be able to fully believe, ten years later, that I undoubtedly chose the perfect guy for me. My life is rich with him in many ways (most certainly not pertaining to actual money - ha!)...but in all ways that matter. We have not been without our times of struggle - but overall it has been a beautiful life together and I can only anticipate more beauty ahead of us. Each year we have taken an anniversary picture together and I am in the process of making a book, recording the experiences of each year we have spent together. As I look through the pictures it is an honor and a praise to God to see us growing just a little older together. I am full of gratitude that we have arrived to this point full of happiness and hope that we are together...till death do us part!