what happened to us - part III

Josiah pretty much has the freedom to crawl about our house and play with whatever is in his reach - though there are some things we left out to try to help him learn boundaries. One thing that we can't put away, though, is toilet paper. And well, once he discovered it, he decided he loved it! So, sometimes when he's been playing and all of a sudden he is missing and it's quiet, we know where to look! When he hears the pitter patter of our feet, he gets excited and knows he's being found out. This is what we generally find has happened in our absence...

a long hiatus

Since I last wrote...

WE HAD A BABY SHOWER FOR ASHLEY

Ash was my roommate before Daniel and I became roommates - Ashley and I both traded each other for a husband! ;-) Ashley and Austin are expecting their first, a girl, in mid-October. The newest Perry's name is Charlotte and she's gonna be here before we know it!

JOSIAH LEARNED NEW TRICKS & GOT MORE TEETH

"I can pull up on furniture and cruise around!"

"I got cuter!" - (does that count for a trick?)

"I can drink from a sippy cup!"

"I'm getting bigger! And I have 7 teeth at 9 1/2 months old!"

WE HAD A 6 HOUR TRIP TO RUSTON

We went to Ruston for the long Labor Day weekend. Normally Ruston is only a 4 hour trip, but...not this time. Nope, not when your child explodes OUT OF HIS DIAPER not once, but TWICE, on the trip home. The first time was incredibly stressful. Daniel and I all but cussed each other out in the midst of it. Did I mention it was stressful?? I had to ask the lady at the convenient store for a hose to hose Josiah down - that's how bad the explosion was. Not to mention that his car seat was dirty and we had to clean it up. Yuck!! The second time, though, we pretty much just laughed and got Josiah cleaned up and rested a bit at the big Texas truck stop near Tyler.

We finally made it to Ruston and all crashed for the night - hoping for a better day in the morning! And, it was. Josiah loves playing with his cousins. And, they play so well together! Mornings at Papa and Gran-Gran's house are super special with all of us (minus Brian and Daniel) crawled up in my mom and dad's bed. The kids laugh with one another and play as they are waking up and we just enjoy family time. But, like I said, it's a little much for the sons-in-law to participate. They'll sometimes come in and stand around the bed, though. Or, just take the opportunity to sleep in a little! It's always nice to have some extra hands around to play with the babies!

Saturday morning in Papa's chair...

Saturday night at Mamaw & Papaw's - Josiah was learning the ways of a good southern red neck - deer in the back of a pick up truck!

Sunday afternoon playing with Annie & Allie (my cousin's girls)

I GREW

Here I am at 25 weeks...

MOM & DAD CAME TO ARLINGTON

We gave Dad tickets to a Rangers game for Father's Day. He and Mom came a couple of weekends ago during the rainiest week we've had in Texas in FOREVER! But, the weather was dry for the Saturday night game (until the 9th inning when they stopped the game for rain - who stops a game for rain at the top of the 9th inning? It was almost over!) Josh & Elizabeth kept Josiah so we could have a night out with my parents - it was so nice!

FOOTBALL SEASON STARTED
Josiah is ready for football season with this great Redskins jersey his aunt and uncle gave him last Christmas!

they tied the knot

We made a weekend road trip to Oklahoma City to be a part of Andy & Laura's wedding last month.

We stayed with good friends Ryan, Adriane, and Graham Smith.

Ryan and Daniel were buddies when Daniel lived in Turkey and Daniel met Andy through Ryan when he moved down the DFW area. Andy and Daniel were roommates when Daniel first moved here. Anyhow, Josiah became good buddies with Graham for the weekend. And, Graham was so sweet to share all of his toys with Josiah. They started a band...

And, Graham even taught Josiah how to work puzzles!

Daniel was a groomsman, and may I add, he was the most handsome of all of the groomsman. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful - just so tender and intimate. The LORD's presence was definitely thick in that room! I thought I'd take Josiah home right after the ceremony, but we decided to get some grub at the reception, and Josiah had his latest night ever! He stayed up until 10 at the wedding and pooped out at our friends' house at 10:30 after his bottle. He was quite the trooper. It helped that at the reception there was loud music, lots of people, and dancing. But the biggest help of all was the strobe light. He liked following the lights on the floor!

We always have such a fun time when we're in Oklahoma City. When the LORD closed the door on our moving to Turkey in the summer of 2007, we had considered moving to Oklahoma City to build community with Andy, Ryan, and Adriane. But, the LORD led us to stay in Fort Worth and at Grace. We sure do love our visits to OKC and although there is often a pretty long span of time between visits, once we're there, it's like we've seen them all year long. Isn't God good the way He blesses friendships and causes His children to encourage one another, challenge one another, laugh with one another and cry with one another? We love it that Andy & Laura and Ryan & Adriane are those kind of friends!

a tribute to my Granny...

My Granny went to be with Jesus 2 weeks ago tomorrow, in the wee hours of the morning. She was 90 years old. Some words to describe my Granny would be: faithful, fiesty, innovative, hard-working, perservering, creative, diligent, loving - lover of family, birds, books, and last but not least, Coca-Cola.

Granny lived through the depression, married, had 3 children, had a house catch on fire and another burn to the ground, outlived her husband by 45 years and never remarried, outlived her son by 29 years and one of her daughters by 6 years, all of which had tragic deaths. But you know what? I never once heard my Granny say one negative thing about all of the hardships she endured. And, through it all, she trusted Jesus. Talk about faith? What a sweet testimony she left behind of being faithful to Jesus through thick and thin. Yep, that was my Granny.

She wrote in a couple of notepads throughout the day. When we were in Ruston a couple of weeks ago, I found one that had been beside her bed and another that was at her breakfast table. Here's an excerpt from a couple of her journal entries:

"Friday, July 24, 2009, 12:25 p.m. - So here I am in bed - I can see beautiful trees - and pink flowers high on limbs in the sky. Trees planted long ago - to edge my vegetable garden space. There's the 'hole' in the tree limbs through wchi I send many prayers - and the Good Lord said yes to most of them and helped me through the others and I've often said 'thank you' for a wonderful family - now and for all my life. This south west room has had a lot of 'living' here. As I lie here I'll read some books - Bud my sister sends so many of them - nine the latest yesterday - there are many cross word puzzles from the Ruston Daily Leader and others - a few finished. My Bible is near by to read, with many notes from Annie. I smile many times when I see a 2 1/2" picture of Orphan Annie, and a comic picture from children's books from long ago when I read to the children from their books. - a little nap."

"Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 11:30 - Kim caled - we will have a new little boy at Christmas"

Granny's last playtime with Josiah

I had called Granny just 4 days before she passed away. I called her on the Wednesday we found out we were having another boy. So sweet to see that phone call recorded in her notebook. That was the last time I talked to Granny. However, the last time I had seen her before she died was in early June. It, too, was a sweet 'last' with Granny. Two of my best friends from high school and their kids joined us, along with Jenny and her kids, to play in my Granny's backyard. The yard where we played as children - there's a treehouse, trampoline, swings, and beautiful flowers in Granny's yard. Granny sat on her back patio in her wheelchair in the heat to watch all of us. I know she very much enjoyed seeing the kids laugh and play and I'm sure she thought about us, her grandchildren, all grown up with families of our own now. We had breakfast with Granny the following morning and returned to Arlington that afternoon. I sure didn't know then that I would never see my Granny again here on earth.

Granny and me the afternoon my friends came out to her house.

I am so grateful for these last memories with my Granny.

It is so comforting to know that Granny is now with Jesus. After 6 different hip replacements and a recent broken femur, I'm sure she's definitely enjoying her new body! Though her old body is no longer here on this earth, I am so grateful that I can be assured to see her one day - me, in my new body and she, in hers!

Today's Sonogram...

We had the sono today and all looks great - heard the heartbeat, saw the little spinal cord and head and legs and arms and saw that the baby is...

A LITTLE BOY!!

Josiah is gonna have a baby brother!!!

Gran Gran, Papa, & Mamaw come for a visit

My Mamaw wanted to come see our house, so Mom & Dad brought her here this past Saturday to see the house and to see Josiah! It was so sweet of them to make the 4 hour drive here, only to stay 3-4 hours in the afternoon. We had lunch and visited at the house a bit, and then they got back in the car for their return to Ruston. I was so glad they came. We got some good shots with Josiah...

turning thirty

These are the gals I hang out with most. We celebrated Nikki's 30th birthday this past Friday at Bistro Louise, a posh little restaurant in Fort Worth. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIKKI!

South Carolina

Twenty-two Audis were in South Carolina

a couple of weekends ago....

We all met at the Eastons' and had such a nice, relaxing, long weekend....even went to the lake one afternoon! Josiah was definitely a hit with his cousins. He was like a magnet! They were so sweet to entertain him and play with him. And, Daniel and I enjoyed a lot of adult time with his parents and siblings.

cousin magnet

cutie at the lake

dinner on the patio

reading with Aunt Rachel

Josiah wants to tell you something....

The baby is due at Christmas. We'll know if Josiah will have a little brother or a little sister in 5 weeks!!

Summer is Here!

The heat is just now starting in Texas this week - or so the weather forecasters say. But, the past few weeks have been so incredibly pleasant. Josiah has really enjoyed being outside. And, we've enjoyed it too. Some evenings we all hang out on the patio in the backyard and push Josiah on his new swing. He loves it - especially when we get right up in his face as he's approaching us. He laughs the sweetest laugh from his gut! Wish you could hear it, but maybe you can imagine it from the smile on his face.

We've also taken some outings with him in the past couple of weeks. He's been to his first and second park, and he also had his first dip in the pool as well. He liked it a lot - and I figured he would since he's such an avid fan of his bathtime. It's so nice that he's at an age where both he and we can enjoy being out and about.

Our first park date was with the Bufkins. Meredith, Jaxon, Sawyer, Josiah, and I enjoyed the park in Mansfield. Josiah slid down the slide for the first time. And, he swang in this big boy swing for the first time. He loved both of his new experiences!

Here we are at his first dip in the pool. He liked it!! I wonder if he was thinking, "What a big bathtub this is?!?!!!"

Our second park trip was with Daniel and a family from our church, the Marvines. We went to Bicentennial Park in Pantego and took a dip in the fountain (no worries, it's apparently okay to do that - at least, the Mommy we met there told us that she's done it before when lots of other kids were in the fountain!) We grilled hot dogs with the Marvines and Josiah played on a pallet. The other 2 boys are 1 1/2 and 3 so Josiah enjoyed watching them kick balls and run around!