Fun with family

Heading down to the dock with Gigi to see the water and boats.

About 2 weeks ago we got to go visit our families--as I mentioned in my last post, celebrating Mary Etta's birthday. So here are more fun pictures from our time together!

Getting ready for the boat ride! Reed's 2nd, and Emery-Claire's 1st! Here's a look back at Reed's 1st boat ride!

Reed and cousin Grayson enjoying their ice cream!

Good times and such fun playing with the Willis cousins! Reed LOVED being with the big boys and had so much fun!

Birthday Celebration!

So last week our sweet girl officially turned 1 year old! 1 week ago today that is! So crazy to think last year at this time we were going through the newborn phase and learning life as a family of 5--and now I can't imagine it any other way! It definitely is so bittersweet as they get so big and grow and change so much.....

so onto our birthday celebration for our big 1 year old! these are a little out of order b/c I have a terrible time moving pictures around on blogger; so here they are.....

enjoying the cake...do you think she liked it??!!!

thanks joy for the receipe idea! it definitely was a hit for sure!!

mary etta LOVES her aunt neenee! they have become big buds as my younger, sweet sister came to louisville with us back in april for a couple days while we were there for a conference to help out with mary etta--so they bonded greatly during that time! right now sarah is in uganda on a mission trip with her husband and their church....we are so excited to see how God is using them overseas and are anxious for their return home next weekend!

About 2 weeks ago we traveled both to TN and GA for a little family time. Since it was the week before Mary Etta's birthday we just figured we would celebrate it while we were there. My family all met out at my dad and stepmom's home for a gathering---we attempted to have some fun on the lake but ended up with a rainy, overcast day. Oh well, at least it was still fun had for all!

Happy 1st Birthday sweet Mary Etta Caroline!

My first attempt at a video from our picture program......unfortunately I could not at all figure how to download to the blog except for using youtube--which still took forever too! I don't love it's youtube, but it's done..........I can't believe 1 year ago today are precious girl was born! Happy birthday baby girl!

Potty, boots, and bubbles

Last week I believe we officially started....potty training! Well, if that is what you call it......At 22 months Emery-Claire began asking to "use the potty"....so we let her here and there. It was usually around bathtime, and some diaper changes. Over the past 2 months she has begun asking more and more frequently. And really since she turned 2 in May, asking daily really. So last week I figured I needed to just "do it!" So here we are no diapers (while at home anyways-unless sleeping), and usually it involves her running to the potty every 1/2 hour to hour saying "I go pee pee!" Sometimes she goes, sometimes I think she is overzealous in wanting to go. So she's going lots.....I really haven't "trained" at all (unlike Reed).....so if you call that potty training.

These are the favorite shoes of choice lately....Hello Kitty rainboots. Forget the fact that it's 85'+ outside these days, she wants these boots on at all times. Though the rule is only in the house while playing....which she is fine with. But if you turn your back she's found those boots and wearing them all over the house!

I FINALLY finished Mary Etta's 2 bubbles I've been working on! Yeah! I bought this fabric back in the first of May and intended to have them finished weeks ago, but here it is the first of July and now they are done! As if the child doesn't have more than enough clothes as it is?!! Oh well, I love a crawling baby in a bubble....so that is all she wears most these days! And no, I don't have a monogram machine, I just made them and took the pink seersucker one to get it monogramed. Happy Wednesday!

Red, white and blue!

Even though it's almost the end of the week....here are some of our "4th" pictures........

Attempted picture of all 3......really impossible to have them all looking at the camera---just progress that they are all sitting still!

We actually had a somewhat filled weekend. We swam as a family Saturday afternoon.....this is big for those of you who know my husband and know he really doesn't care much for the sun. So the fact that he went swimming with the rest of us is HUGE! Then that evening we cooked out with some friends from church, and Sunday one of Casey's students from Georgetown that he spent several years discipling was married several weeks ago in Canada so we all headed to Shelbyville for a reception. So all in all our clan survived all the festivities we attended. We were spent at the end of the weekend....and no fireworks for us. Maybe next year when everyone is one year older it won't feel as taxing to attempt.

Adoption

I know lately that many people have been in adoption process and fundraising for adoption. Well, I have recently found out, and am so excited to hear, that one of my best friends is also adding to her family through adoption too! Jen and I met at UT my junior year of college. She was a new believer at the time, and I thought I was a believer when I met her---though look back now and see how the Holy Spirit really opened my eyes to truly understand and hear the Gospel as I never had before! The Lord brought us into one another's lives at such a sweet time in our lives. I am so thankful for her and her friendship over the years, I don't know what I would have done without her--as she has been such an encouragement and loved me through many seasons (good and bad) of my life. I got to watch the Lord bring her and Lee together now over 12 years ago, and see both these beautiful boys be born into this family.

I am so excited to see how the Lord is going to work to bring a new addition to their family through adoption! I am writing this post to link to a wonderful ministry that is helping them in this adoption process. Dolka Pots was started in the past year to help financially support families who are pursuing adoption. My friend, Rebekah, who I also know from UT, recently adopted a sweet little baby boy domestically, and was sewing to help fund her own family's adoption. It was out of this family's pursuit that Rebekah, with several other friends, created this website to help support other families in adoption. I know some of you are sewers, but please consider checking out this website and supporting my dear friends the Leadbetters!

http://www.dolkapots.com/

The adorable picture of the 3 children at the top of the website is another sweet friend I met during college while working at Camp Desoto in Mentone, AL, one summer, and from our time living in Nashville during our single years.

First swim lessons

Swimming with Miss Laura to the ducky. Reed worked so hard to kick those legs and move those arms!

So this week Reed completed his first round of swim lessons! We are so proud of him since the first week or so there was lots of crying and anxiousness every time we arrived to class. The first day I couldn't even leave his side....but these last couple weeks I actually moved to the benches with the other parents. He even has been excited to go and participate too! He is becoming such a big boy, so he is moving up from his "Pike" class to the "Eel" class for the next 4 weeks.