I have been blessed with the friendship of not just one but two beautiful women. They are the first people I run to when things are hard. They are a shoulder to lean on and the very best friends a girl could have. I could not imagine what my life would be like without Jen and April. It's getting harder to spend time together as our families grow what used to be a group of 6 (Jen, April and I and our first borns) has now grown to a group of 11.
These women are my without a doubt the Godliest women I have ever met. My partners in prayer, my advice givers, my sweet listeners.... I thank God for the opportunity to live life with them. This year they both turned 30 (they probably don't want me broadcasting that). We had a sweet celebration of their birthdays. I love you girls!

Bike Rides

I remember the days my sisters and I spent riding our bikes around town. We were allowed to ride all the way to my grandmom's (but usually tried to bum a ride home). We rode to the pizza place, to our friends houses.... pretty much everywhere. I remember vaguely the day my dad taught me to ride a two wheeler. I mostly remember not knowing how to turn and running head first into a pine tree.

Hoping for the same kinds of memories for our little girls as they grow up. I am guessing we should get to teaching Aubrey how to ride on two wheels. But can't I just keep her little a little while longer.

They are both growing so fast I can't believe it.
I will miss these days, where as far as they can ride is circles in the driveway.

Running with the Girls

As a parent you walk a fine line with sports and extra curricular activities. You of course want your children to love the things you do. But you want to make sure that they are exposed to other things as well.

For example many of you that I do not do well with sports that are played with a ball or rather an object that it hurdled through the air at horrific speeds... towards your HEAD. Couple that with my lack of hand eye coordination... Not fun.

I am hoping as my girls grow that I can send them to Aunt Lindsay's for a little soccer fun, or to Aunt Carla's for a little bit of catch with a softball. But for now I am happy that they have both gotten excited to go for runs with me.

Yes, when we run together it is a little less effective (for me) than strapping on my music and just "going". We stop to walk, decide to get in the jogging stroller (that I brought just incase), run again...stop...walk...ride... you get the picture.

For now I am happy to share my love for running with them. I know as they get older they may move on to bigger and better things, but for now, they look up to me and that is kind of neat.

Seven Little Girls

Taylor Paden

Leah Angely

Kelsey Irene

Aubrey Elizabeth

Ava Rose

Mackenzie Leigh

Brooke Jeanne

In a short period of time 7 little girls were added to our family. Seven....all girls, born to me an my sisters, who were also all girls (obviously). Right now our days together are filled with dress up and princesses and pretend play.... some day it will be make up and boys and fashion. For now I will treasure this stage that they are at together. I pray that they continue to be friends as they get older.

This is how Easter started...

It is inevitable that every Sunday my children sleep in. Aubrey is up at 7 AM every other morning of the week but (you guessed it).... Sunday. Every church morning I am forced to walk upstairs and shake her little body until she turns over and sticks her little bottom in the air and says, "I'm still tired."

Easter was no different. Most likely because Mom forced everyone to dye eggs at an ungodly hour. We got a late start yet again and had to fit in Easter Egg hunting and candy before shipping them off to their Sunday School teachers. Ha!

We searched for eggs, ran like mad to get dressed and run out front to take picture.

This should have been the clue.

This is when mom and dad start to discuss why they are doing pictures when we are already late. I looked at Matt... "This is the best they will look all day. I promise that someone will be covered in marker from church... or chocolate...or..." He got the point. We finished our photo shoot quickly and jumped in the car.

We arrived at church just in time and started to pile out of the car. I had one foot on the ground when Leah decided to projectile vomit (nice mental picture) everything she had eaten that morning. I needed to go in, I needed to be in the building ten minutes ago. I needed to set up computers and check classroom and welcome visitors.

I grabbed Aubrey's hand and started to run for the door. "She's all yours. Sorry." Aubrey and I hurried away and Daddy got to take a puke covered kid to Walmart to look for a new dress. (Don't worry we didn't take our infected kid to church, just to my mother's house to infect her cousins.)

She never got sick again that day. It was a fluke...

Really glad I stopped to take pictures before church. Obviously... I am always right.