beach again

So just trying to upload pics another faster way... let's see how it works

Beach vacation

Our beach vacation is coming to an end, but it has been so good! We had great weather all week, and it wasn't too hot until the last couple of days. I really enjoyed having family around to help us take care of Layna and Braelyn. I really enjoyed having some time with just Braelyn and I, or even just by myself! I felt like it was a real vacation. Aaron did a great job finding us a great place to stay. The girls traveled SO well on the way here. I hope they do as well on the way home. It has been fun being around family all week and getting to visit. Braelyn has loved the ocean. The last few days she has started playing in the ocean more. I figured I should update the blog now, because once we get home......well, just hard to find the time. I put lots and lots of beach pictures on facebook. I can just upload them so much faster there. Layna is now 5 months old. We plan on starting cereal when we get back home. Next weekend Aaron and I will be celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary!! So thankful for my wonderful husband and family. My most precious gifts here on earth.

Still here!

Well, I can't believe it's been so long since I posted last. I can't even begin to catch up on everything that's been going on. Let's just say that life with two little kiddos is a FULL time job! I keep telling aaron i need a "maid-sitter".....a babysitter and maid in one. I am so thankful to be a mom, it is just a very exhausting phase we are in right now.
Let's see....Layna will be five months old in about one week! at her 4 month checkup she weighed 12.4 lbs. We call her "long and lean" Layna :). Unfortunately she is not the best napper and for the past three nights she has not slept well at all either. However, she is still a pretty happy baby most of the time. Braelyn loves her to death and is such a good big sister. We are amazed daily at Braelyn's vocabulary and how she is putting sentences together and just the way she talks about things.
Aaron has had a super busy time with work and just "other stuff" the past couple of months, which is probably why I haven't had as much extra time either. He is about to start his last year of residency....wow....which means we are trying to figure out plans for after residency. We are still pursuing doing missions overseas, just not sure exactly how.
We have applied with World Medical Mission which is with Samaritan's Purse. It is a two year post residency program designed for people like us who want to do full time medical missions. we would be placed at one of their hospitals and aaron would get to be mentored/trained by their doctors who have been there a long time. We aren't for sure if this is the path we are taking, but we are praying about it and just going to see where it goes. It is exciting to think about. Please pray for us in making these decisions. That God would give us wisdom and most of all that we would be seeking His will first and not our own. Also pray for God to strengthen our hearts to TRUST in Him completely.
We are heading to the beach soon with Aaron's family.....very excited about that. It will be Braelyn's first trip to the beach and very entertaining I'm sure. It has been a while since we have been ourselves and I hope it will be fun and somewhat restful.....if that is possible with two kiddos. I know it will be great just being out of the house and with family. We had a good time camping with my family last weekend. Layna's first camping trip. She enjoyed it pretty well I think. Hopefully next post I will have wonderful stories of our family vacation to the beach and great pics too :))

Spring is here!

Just some fun shots to welcome in Spring!!! So glad it is here. We have been to the park almost every day that it is warm enough to go. We are looking forward to celebrating Easter soon. It is so fun and exciting to teach Braelyn about Jesus and who He is and what He did for us. It is especially fun to hear her talk about it. I pray that she would learn more than just the head knowledge and "church answers" about things, and that she would really understand that Jesus is our greatest treasure and all that we do and say should reflect how much we love Him!

Playing with the cousins!

We were excited to have some of our cousins come and visit us on Spring Break the last couple of weeks. Braelyn always has a good time with all of them.
Caryss and Gavin


Layna just relaxing in the stroller.
Jackson and Hayden
Hayden and Colton
They turned the mulch into a construction site and loved it!...until they found an ant hill.
We are always happy to spend time with our family. Thanks everyone for coming to visit us!

Family time

One of our favorite things....getting ready to go for a walk to the park. Thanks Mamaw for the cute outfit. It was a little cool, but it was still very nice.
We have already used the double stroller a lot. Thanks Laura for letting us borrow it!!
And here is Braelyn enjoying some "special dessert".....chocolate eclair! "mmmmmmm" she says.

Layna 2 months old

Layna was two months old March 12. At her two month appt she weighed 10 lbs even. She had to get her shots....which she didn't enjoy very much, but she did well overall. She had a lot of bumps on her face and all over her chest and we have been trying to figure out what is causing it. Right now we are switching our detergent and her soap and lotion to all "free and clear" stuff. It seems to be helping some, hopefully it will all clear up soon.





And of course, I had to get a few shots of Braelyn. Love that beautiful smile!!! She was a little jealous of Mommy taking so many pictures of Layna :)

Sisters having fun together

It was so fun to watch Braelyn playing with Layna.....and Layna smiling and enjoying Braelyn so much!! Braelyn is so sweet to her....most of the time. One time I caught her reading Layna a book. She didn't know I was watching her, which made it even sweeter.

I've been surprised that the one thing Braelyn doesn't really want to do is hold Layna. She hardly ever asks to hold her, and then when she does, it's only for a few seconds and she is ready to put her down.
I have to comment on Braelyn's outfit. She has on her play clothes (shirt and pants) and then her Dora nightgown on top of that, and then a skirt over her pants!! She wore this all day and loved it.

Finishing up from February

A shot of my long, "Layna girl" all stretched out. Braelyn has started calling her "Layna girl"

Well, my mind has a hard time remembering too much about February, even though it wasn't that long ago :). I do know that I had to have my first, and hopefully last ever, root canal. It was not a pleasant experience for me. And I am still trying to get my permanent crown for the tooth to fit right. God is teaching me how to try and have a good attitude about these kinds of things that you don't enjoy doing and are frustrating, but you just have to do anyway. I have to try to remind myself that every single thing, big or little, that happens to me is what God deems "BEST". Even a root canal. I have to believe that this is what is best for me to be experiencing right now and trust that God has a purpose in it. So that is what God is teaching me right now. And I have been convicted lately about my lazy prayer life. There are so many needs in our families and friends and church and I am not asking God to do much about any of it. It is just a matter of getting my thoughts off of myself and thinking of others and how God wants to be glorified in those situations. I wonder why things aren't changing and then I remember that maybe it's because I'm not asking. That is just what I've been thinking about lately....... here are some pictures to enjoy.

Layna is starting to smile and respond a lot more to us. I love it when they start smiling. It makes the lack of sleep seem more worth while :)
Here is Layna on our first trip to church. She did really well. I had to leave the service to go feed her, but I figured that would happen. Looks like she is waving to the camera. I tried putting a bow on her head, but I think she must have a big head, bc it was too tight on her head. Oh well...

Just catching another smile......