The newest addition to our family.....wrinkles!

We have added a new addition to our family, his name is Sullivan "Sully". He is super cute and very playful. The kids really enjoy him and I think even our old dog Donut, is excited to have a friend to play with too! We have had him for about 4 wks now and he is growing fast. I'll have to add some new pics later as he grows into our family.

Big Bro and Lil Sis

It amazes me that so many people think my youngest two are twins, would you believe they are two years and three days apart? Well they are. We thought we were done when we had Noah, but seriously thinking about it knowing the older two (who are 16 and 10) would be gone and out of the house before we know it, and leaving him all alone. So we decided to try once more and were blessed with our beautiful daughter Sara. They are so much fun to watch together, she tries her hardest to keep up with him. Soon she will be bigger then him. They are like Mutt and Jeff, ketchup and mustard, always together. I hope it remains that way through all the years to come!

~This time one year ago~

As the title would suggest, I am reflecting back to December 3rd 2007. This was the day we would welcome our 'impatient' daughter into the world at 5:59 am via c-section. Although that day did not go as planned, we still ended up with the most incredibly beautiful daughter. Since that day we have endured sleepless nights too numerous to count, laundry by the basketful's, lots of dirty diapers, toys scattered about, teething, bottles and lost pacifiers and many days spent in our PJ's. But besides all that we have also had lots of cuddling, sweet slobbery baby kisses, giggles, grins and smiles that will melt your heart, little fingers that grasp yours and won't let go and a heart so full of love that it can not contain it.

I am amazed at how much she has grown over the last year from 7# 6oz to 22# 10oz and from 19 1/4 inches to 29 inches. She is now walking however she still prefers crawling as her primary means of transportation. I can only wonder and anticipate what the next year will have in store for us. I'm sure she will be even more busier and talking up a storm and giving her brothers a run for their money.

Here are some pics of Sara celebrating her birthday at Pawpaw's and Mawmaw's house in AL. Sara and her cousin "J" got to celebrate their first birthday together, by the time they both had their fill of the cake they were covered in icing and required a much needed bath.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY SARA!

Sixteen years ago...

My oldest child, my son Jonathan will be "sweet" sixteen tomorrow. My how time has flown, it just seems like yesterday, I can remember the day you arrived and how scared I was as a new mother. Wasn't sure I was "qualified" for the job, but looking into those sweet innocent eyes, I knew I would do anything for you. We had ups and downs along the way, but we have survived. For awhile there, it was just me and you, we were always together. Now we are part of a new and improved family, he is a big brother and has younger brothers and a sister looking up to him. It seems like yesterday that he was learning how to walk and now he is becoming a young man. For his birthday we (both sides of parents) got him his class ring. Next big step will be senior prom and graduation.....wow, how did I become the mother of a teenager already? Happy Birthday Jonathan, I am so proud of you and the man you are becoming.

I love you Jonathan, I wish you well and hope you future is filled with all kinds of possibilities.

And we are off....

Well my baby girl is walking, she started off this month with a step here and there. Then on November 17th she put it all together and took 5 steps, now she is walking more and more and becoming ever so sure of herself. She is just too cute for words, she is wobbly, smiling and just too darn precious. In eleven more days my last baby will turn one on her birthday, this will be the first of many more to come. I'm sure I will look back on this day with fond memories and hope to share many more with my daughter. I can only hope that she will be as close as me and my mother.
I love you Gracie Girl!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well as the title would suggest, at least it is in my house. Most people think I am crazy to have put up my tree this early. So what, I am crzy, but you know I just love to sit there in the still of the night after everyone else has gone to bed and just stare at the lights on the tree as they sparkle and the ornaments dance on the tree from the light breeze of the ceiling fan above. This is sheer peace at its best, well at least for this mom of four! A half hour of peace and quiet around here is golden.
My three year old son is so excited this year about Christmas. Just yesterday while we were eating dinner, he proclaimed "mommy Christmas needs presents", I said "yes it does", then he said "Christmas needs toys, lots of toys!" I then commented with a slight giggle, "Oh it does, does it", and he said "yes". Amazing how they figure this gift thing out so quickly. But it's heartwarming to see the wonder in his eye, how excited he gets about seeing the lights and the decorations. I wonder how he will react when he sees Santa Claus this year? Probably will run and scream I'm sure. My daughter on the other hand, this will be her second Christmas, she was just about 3 wks old last year and not an active participant. The older boys, well what can I say, they just want stuff. This year things will be a little more conservative then they have been in the past. That means some well thought out gift giving. My husband and I have told the boys not to expect a lot this year. I would really like for them to be able to go to the mission and help in the kitchen and see how good they have it. Maybe seeing others who are far less fortunate then themselves will teach them a thing or two about compasion and doing for others.
As far as me, all I want is a healthy and happy family. As I have gotten older, I have realized that presents don't matter as much as just being with your family and sharing the memories. Because when I have long left this earth, that will be all there is left to me.

Serenity in the Smokey's

Just wanted to share some pictures of my little day trip to the Smokey Mountain's and Cades Cove near Gatlinburg, TN. My mother, Noah, Sara and myself took a nice drive through the mountains today (11/6) to get a glimpse at Gods hand at work. The trees were spectacular, varying shades of gold, red and orange, with lots of evergreens in the mix. The meandering road from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove was about 28 miles long and ran next to a creek that was babbling through the mountain. Just our little piece of heaven here in east Tennessee. This is by far my most favorite season here in Tennessee with spring coming in at a close second. The weather this fall has been fantastic and it has allowed for some of the most brilliant colors I have seen in years.

Soon the trees will be naked and winter will soon come and then we will patiently wait for spring and the rebirth of nature.