We just got home from spending some fun family time here....

I have lots of pictures of course that I want to edit and share, but I'm still trying to recover from this {please refer to the video below :) }.....Just doing our part to ensure that our kids have fun filled family memories of car trips :)

{I had some hope that by showing Miss A a video of her acting so psycho, it would have some effect on her of perhaps a little remorse, maybe a touch of embarrassment, some realization of how unbecoming it is when she gets so crazy, just SOMETHING to help tone down her fits a bit. But instead, she's watched this video at least 30 times (as if I didn't get my fill from the real life version) and sings the ABC's along with Zach in the video. What the heck!}

Two Months

Baby T's two month "birthday" has snuck up on me. In some ways she doesn't seem like a two month old (she's TWELVE pounds already) and in some ways she still seems like my little newborn (like when she's up in the middle of the night). But it's getting to where I don't feel like I can't say "I JUST had a baby" as an excuse anymore, especially for having an extra 15 pounds hanging off me. Because "you look so great FOR JUST HAVING A BABY" is not the same as actually looking great....especially when you technically haven't "just" had a baby....anyways...

This is what prompted the photos this particular afternoon. Miss A wanted to hold the baby, which she doesn't ask to do very often. Aren't they sweet together? Please excuse that A is only in a diaper. I promise, we start off every day right with her, cute outfit, clean face, hair done. She has all of this undone by the time breakfast is over some days. This past Sunday she was walking behind Zach down the hall at church, and he turned around to see that she had taken her skirt and diaper off, just strutting away half naked, at church.

Ahhh....my little sweetheart!

beachy

As I mentioned in my previous post, I got to spend a couple days with my older sister and her kids at the beach. It was such a neat place. We stayed at Rosemary Beach, which has a similar vibe to it's larger and more well known neighboring beach of Seaside. I would recommend either! Both towns are master planned communities that were designed with the idea of recreating the small town life that is so rare these days. The idea was to make a place where cars weren't needed and that's what I loved about this place. You can walk anywhere, to the shops, beach, pool, park, tennis court, in just a few minutes.  We plan to go back as a whole family in the fall. I'm looking forward to it!

Around town in Rosemary Beach

My sister's little ones.  It's such a sweet picture you'd never know all the threats we used to get Shannon to give her brother a kiss! 

A very special week

Last week was a bit of an odd time for me. Originally I had a plane ticket to meet up with my family for a beach vacation. Obviously plans have changed for us, on a daily basis. I intended to spend my whole trip in Memphis with Lindsey, but then Aubs got a cold the day before I left, which meant we had to keep our distance from Lindsey. While waiting for the cold to resolve, I met up with my older sister and we caravaned to Florida and spent a few days at the beach house my parents had rented. After a couple days there I drove to Memphis and spent the remainder of my time with Lindsey. The time was too short! Just 28 days and I'll be a permanant fixture there. I can't wait. Lindsey probably doesn't need me by her side as much as I need her by mine! The picture above is us having a slumber party at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital while she was having a blood clot monitored.

There is no place like St. Jude. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. The daily operating cost of St. Jude is $1.4 million, which is primarily covered by donations. The research at St. Jude is cutting edge. They were the first to cure the most common form of childhood leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), helping to drive the cure rate from 4 percent in 1962 to 94 percent today. They give hope to families and allow them to focus on fighting the cancer, not paying medical bills that for most would be impossible to cover. I'm anxious for Zach to finish school (for many reasons!) but one of them is to contribute to this amazing place that saves children's lives.

Below is us with my parents at the Target House, a long term housing facility for patients like Lindsey who will be undergoing bone marrow tranplants and where she and my Mom are living. You won't see a fragment of carpet at this place! The name of the game here is to maintain a sterile environment.

Before having to leave school, Lindsey was working on her nursing degree, with the ultimate goal of working at St. Jude. I look forward to seeing her in action there one day. Can you imagine the lives she will touch, the spirits she will lift, the compassion she will share, and the hope she will bring? The patients will be fighting over her!

It was a bit tiring week in many ways (one of those MAIN ways being my child's behavior). But the time I got to spend all my family members (minus my little bro) was so so special and important to me. I love you guys!