Happy Graduation For Me

I have had my work done for school for several months but I received my diploma in the mail today! I am proud of it for sure, in four years I met Will, got engaged, got married, bought a house, had a baby, and finished my Bachelors of Science in Christian Education with a 3.3 GPA. I am thankful for Will's encouragement to finish strong and my parents financial investment.

Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

This is a subject I am very passionate about and this morning Dana Stinson (Randy Stinson's wife) taught on raising masculine men and feminine daughters at Mom2Mom. It is such a tendency of moms to want to baby their sons. Dana said to over-protect your children is harmful to them. Liam is mine for 18 years and it is our job to train him to be a Godly husband and father, to be a leader, protector and provider.

She gave some practical tips- like creating adventure, and even allowing somewhat dangerous situations, teaching them that boys don't whine or cry. Teaching them they need to protect their sisters. And that public affection is in-appropriate past a certain age between mother and son- we need to match our expectations to the Biblical pattern (i.e. we don't need to expect our 10 year old son to hold our hand or lay his head on our shoulder.)

We need to dress boys like boys and girls like girls.

I know I don't have a daughter but she also said bossy daughters become nagging wives and to teach your daughters to not boss your sons.

We need to teach them to accept and love their roles and to be humble, not to have some macho-ego about being men.

We need to teach our children this intentionally and by example.

Sweet Day: June 6, 2008

We feel so honored to be used as an advertisement for weddings at Southern. More than that to see pictures of our wedding makes us happy to think of that special day and the last two and a half years of marriage. Marriage is such a neat picture of the gospel. A way to tangibly and practically see the gospel lived out. Christ as the husband and the church as the wife, how the husband pursues, protects, loves and leads the wife. And as the wife submits to and helps the husband.

So thankful Christ loves the church. So thankful for such a beautiful wedding and my sweet parents for paying for it!

Beach Bums

Back in the summer I saved this post as a draft instead of publishing it. Here are a few pictures of our trip. September 2010.

Lonely House...

There is only one bad thing about this weekend... Monday morning. Liam and I are sad to have a lonely house today.

Ashley, Troy, Chase, Brenda, Joe, Lea, Logan and Jack were all here this weekend and it was so good to have everyone together. We had such a good time. Tyler and Sarah had their beautiful wedding on Saturday at Gingerwoods.

We went shopping, out to eat, hung around the house, visited Brooke, Jon and Baby Anderson had brunch at Dad and Lindsey's, and went to Cherokee Park where we took lots of great pictures.

Liam would tug on Jack's ear and try to scratch his head, sorry Jack!

Chase was not too excited to take a cousin picture

Sister Love at Tyler and Sarah's wedding

My farmer-joe
Ash with her nephew and son

6 months for liam

This Saturday Liam will be 6 months old. Our sweet baby boy has completely captured our hearts in the past six months. He brings us so much joy, I never knew you could love someone so deeply, I get emotional just thinking about him getting big and growing up.

At his checkup he was 16 pounds and 27 inches. 25% for weight and 50% for height. Which is amazing considering he was not even on the chart six months ago at 4 pounds 18 inches. He is officially average size! YAY! The doctor said between 25% and 75% is right where they want them. He is totally healthy

Liam ...

is serious, but loves to laugh

loves to stand up with help

loves to grab toys or anything and put them in his mouth

grabs my hair all the time- meaning pony tails for me all the time

found the top of his head and scratches it

rolls and rolls and rolls

gets happy when you put music on

acts like a little old man

looks exactly like his dad, especially these looks he gives

has fit in perfectly with our family

He loves his food. (5 months)

He loves his momma. (4 months)

Finally getting some chunk on him! (3 months)

So little in his bumbo. (2 months)

He was so tiny in his car seat. (1 month)

A few hours old.

Our little bitty (early) blessing. It was so hard to see him like this. It grew our faith in the Lord so much.