Oh, how God is good!!! Lily is 7!

Lily is 7 today!!

 

9/22/08  23 weeks  1lb. 6 oz.

Lily holding Greg's ring...that's how small she was!

 

 

Take the time and listen to this song!  So powerful!




This day every year I am reminded of God's goodness to our family.  I wanted to take time and just reflect back on the last 7 years.  7??? Really???  How can this be? 

When I look at my precious, growing, healthy, complete, fun, creative, amazing, beautiful Lily, I just can't help but break down and say thank you Lord!  Thank you first for being all I need!  Thank you for hearing our prayers 7 years ago for you to heal our baby girl.  Thank you for hearing our specific prayers and not only hearing them but seeing them come completely to fruition.  Thank you for ordaining our steps and plans and having our precious Lily be born in one of the most amazing hospitals and NICUs in the country.  Thank you for hand picking her doctors and nurses each and every day! 

As I read back through my journal during that time I see my specific prayers and I read how God heard and answered every one!  I look back on our pain, sorrow, inflictions, scares, cries for mercy and now I know and can say fully and whole heartedly, it was worth it!  He had a plan for her which included her early entry into this life.  He has a plan for her and no matter what I do, He will carry it out! 

Just like He has a plan for each of us.  Even if you are in your darkest, deepest sorrow right now.  Even if you feel as though you are worth nothing, that you've been or done the most shameful things, God has a plan for you!  We don't have to bring anything or do anything.  He is enough!  He loves us no matter what and will use our pain and suffering for His glory and to produce hope in us!  All we have to do is cry out to Him. 
He was enough for me when I cried out for Him to heal my tiny baby girl.  He has been enough through all of the difficulties we've gone through as a result of her being born early.  He is enough to get us through losing our precious DidiPop.   And He will be enough to get us through our daily, struggles and trials.  "Be satisfied in Me..."  Nothing in this life will truly satisfy us but Jesus. 

 

"I will give thanks to the Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds."

Psalm 9:1-2

(This was the verse I read the morning after Lily was born.  I remember praying, "Lord please heal our precious baby and I will tell of all you have done.")

Another favorite song right now.   Click the link below.

 

Have a great day!  Praying you know you are loved and that you don't have to be perfect!  You are loved! 

Happy Birthday to our precious Lily!

https://youtu.be/Wt5X91ciE6Y

Exemplifying True Love...Even during our Toughest Times

Today Ed and Helen would have celebrated 42 years of marriage.  All day and even the days leading up to today I've been thinking about how Helen must be feeling and how I would feel when this day approached each year.  I have felt lead to share something that I wrote on the plane on our way back to AL the day after Eddie died.  I originally wrote it as an update/potential blog post but I've never shared it with anyone and even I haven't read it since I first sat in that plane seat thinking about Eddie.  I share it now only to try and honor my loving father in law and to recognize my amazing mother in law.  I can only pray that my words might exemplify the love I have for them both and the impression they have and continue to leave on me.



July 23, 2012

About a month ago Greg, the kids and I were able to go to AL for 3 weeks.  We asked many of you to pray for us, and for our visit home.  About this time, Eddie began to decline and we began fervently praying that God would sustain him for our visit so that we could have one last good visit with him.  I asked many of you to join us in praying for this as well.  I wanted to tell you that God heard our prayers and was faithful to answer.  With some minor changes to our original travel plans, we were able to visit with Eddie early.  Even in his weakened state he still knew all of us by name and face, even the kids!  Even though his mind wasn't always clear and he was disoriented at times, God still blessed us with some great time with him, creating lasting memories.  He even made us laugh several times in only a way Eddie could.

The toll the disease was taking on his body became more evident.  Each day we saw him decline a little more but, yet through it all he continued to fight, never complaining, and went about his day with his "sweet Eddie charm".  Several times he would even ask if he could help us or if we were OK.  I loved watching his face light up when one of the grand kids would come to his side or crawl in bed with him.  

I know he was prepared to go but I know and he even stated that leaving the grand kids this early was one of the hardest parts for him.  As our time in AL was coming to an end, Greg and I had a really really hard time leaving.  We debated about staying another week or two, but in the end we truly had a peace about going home and living out our lives as Eddie would have wanted.  The day we were leaving Eddie called Greg and I in to him one by one.  During this time it was like he knew we were leaving and that it was his last chance to say good bye.  During those moment as sad and emotional as they were, I was able to tell him what I wanted him to know, how I felt about him and how thankful I was for him.  Thomas and Lily each had a special time with him too.  I'll never forget it!

When Greg and I were finally able to make ourselves leave, since Eddie was sleeping soundly, Greg whispered to him that I was going to pray for him.  Without saying a word, he simply reached out for my hand.  Such a precious moment and gift God gave us that day.

As I look back at our time there with him, I think one of the most amazing sights was watching Helen care for him.  She made sure his every need was met even before her own.  She would drop whatever she was doing if he said he was hungry for something and she would go cook it.  I watched her lay in bed with him, loving him, repeatedly telling him how much he was loved by so many and how proud she was of him, how he had worked so hard to always take care of them.  I saw her pray over him asking God's mercy on him.  And through it all she did it with a supernatural strength and grace that I can only dream to achieve.  I learned more about what it means when two people truly love each other. What it truly means when they say "I do", "in sickness and in health, for better or worse, till death do us part." Praising God for allowing me the chance to witness His work, and to watch an earthly example of serving the way Christ commands us to do.   

For those of you who knew Eddie or had ever spent any time with him know that it was an honor to be in his presence.  He wasn't often a loud talker or boaster but if you spent any time talking to him you realized his depth of wisdom and might walk away with a new tidbit of knowledge about something he had most likely recently read about.  I loved how he knew so many random but interesting facts and stories.  And if he didn't know the answer for sure he left you thinking he did or at least made you think twice about questioning him.  He had such an easy spirit with an attitude that if you want something you need to work for it.  I love that he grew up on a farm basically poor by today's standards.  But through his amazing parents love, dedication, and hard work he graduated from Auburn and worked his way up the corporate ladder to the success that he had never losing sight of who he was and where he came from.  I grew to love and appreciate his love for Auburn.  He wasn't just a football fan, he truly loved Auburn.  He was truly and Auburn man living out the Auburn Creed.  He realized and appreciated what Auburn had given him and he always found time to give back with his time and money.

I am beyond thankful for having the privilege of knowing Eddie and being a part of his family for over 17 18 years.  I am so thankful and blessed beyond words because of it.  But I am most thankful for the way he exemplified to Greg what it means to be a good dad and husband.  I am forever grateful...

 

I can only hope and pray that God might bless Greg and I with a marriage and lifetime together like Eddie and Helen had.  And if one day my kids can say only half the things that I feel about Ed and Helen, I will consider myself lucky and feel I did my job.  May God continue to comfort us all as we continue to miss Eddie and may we always choose to live life to the fullest in a way that Eddie did on a daily basis!

 

 

 

 

Missing Eddie...Eddie Dickinson 1948-2012

DICKINSON, EDDIE "ED" FRANK 1948-2012 Eddie (Ed) Frank Dickinson finished his race on July 20, 2012 at home with his family on Lake Martin in Alexander City, AL. Ed was born August 14, 1948 in Sylacauga, Alabama to Thomas and Mildred Dickinson. He grew up in Goodwater, AL and married his hometown sweetheart, Helen. He was described by Auburn Magazine as "Part Publisher, part outdoorsman, part armchair quarterback, part Sunday School teacher, a keen family man, and a rabid Auburn fan. Above all, Ed is one of those rarities who shares his life with ease, accepting newcomers with a mixture of stereotypical Southern charm and grace and open-ended inclusion." He had a passion for life, an infectious smile and always wanted to make sure everyone had a good time. Ed and Helen both graduated from Auburn University and shortly after were married. Both of their children, Leah and Greg, were born in Montgomery and they all enjoyed following Ed through his dream job and career; from Chicago to Atlanta and Birmingham where Dickinson retired as Vice President and Publisher of Progressive Farmer magazine. Ed grew up on a farm and gave back to the community by creating Farm Safety Day Camps that helped educate and save lives of people across the nation. Ed also served on the board of the Auburn Magazine, 4H and Southern Crop Protection Association, as president of National Agricultural Marketing Association, and as a member of the Ag Round Table, Samford Society, Ag 21 club and the Auburn Agricultural Association. While working and serving, Ed passed his deep-rooted love for Auburn, the farm and the lake onto his children and grandchildren. Ed cherishes a heritage closely tied to both the farm and lake. When he wasn't fishing or boating, you could find him on his farm at his family home place in Goodwater. He found solace at the farm and loved sharing it with his grandchildren. He was a beloved grandfather (DidiPop) who taught them how to bait a hook, cheer for Auburn, plant a garden and serve the Lord. Ed is survived by his wife, Helen Hawkins Dickinson. His daughter, Leah Dickinson. His son, Greg Dickinson and his wife Holley. His four grandchildren, Owen Yntema, Thomas Dickinson, Ethan Yntema and Lily Dickinson. His sister, Ann Hardman and her husband, Johnny Hardman. His uncle, Richard Thompson and his wife Ruth Thompson. His mother-in-law, Elizabeth Hawkins. He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Mildred Dickinson. The service will be held at the Alexander City First United Methodist Church on July 23, 2012 at 2:00. Dr. Todd Henderson and Reverend Don Cross will be officiating. Visitation is from 12:30-2:00 at the church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Children's Harbor on Lake Martin or the Alexander City First United Methodist Church (please note it is to go to 'Feast of Sharing'). Memorial messages may be sent to the family at: www.radneyfuneralhome.com. Radney Funeral Home, Alexander City, Alabama is in charge of the arrangements, 256-234-2511. -

Holley and I recently had a chance to share part of Lily's story at our Church in NC. We were asked to share how we were cared for by our Church during the time of need. So, I want to quickly say thanks to the leadership at Christ the King Presbyterian, Houston, the church body and our small group - you all really helped us prosper despite the situation we were in.

For the talk, we put together a video with some of our favorite pictures. We would like to share it with you too.

Love, Greg for Holley and the Dickinsons.

Eddie Dickinson - Greg's Dad

Friends, as some of you may know, my dad has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer and will begin his journey through final diagnosis, prognosis and deciding on the course of treatment this week at M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas. Both he and my mom have been strong so far and I believe are determined to maintain a positive attitude throughout this next challenge. I firmly believe that in conjunction with smart doctors; having a positive attitude will lead my dad down a path of healing. In this challenging time, it is difficult to maintain a positive outlook, but I am always reminded of what is said in Romans 8:28 – and believing that God will work all things for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.

We really appreciate your friendship and ask with confidence in the power of prayer and in the power of our God that you would pray for healing for my dad and peace for my mom. There will be a lot of travel to and from Houston, so we would also ask that you pray for God to clear the paths and provide safe travel for them both.

They will be maintaining a Caringbridge site and you can find the link "Eddie Dickinson" to the left.

Again, thanks for each one of you and your prayers and support in the past for our family!

With much love, Greg (and Holley)

Lily's 2nd birthday party

Lily and big brother Thomas posing at Lily's party...

Singing happy birthday to Lily...


Cake table...

Silly Lily...

My beautiful birthday girl...

Pumpking pinata...

Painting pumpkins...

kid tables...

Praying for my precious Papaw

A week and a half ago my 91 year old Papaw (my dad's dad) was trying to fix his mailbox with some type of welding type tool and a spark flew on to his shirt that had some gas on it and it caught on fire. They live out in the country in Mississippi. Thankfully the lady that comes and helps them during the week was there and helped put the fire out and drove him to the hospital. He was later air lifted to a burn center in Augusta, GA where he has been since. 9% of his body was burned with most of it being 3rd degree. He made it through a 5 1/2 hour surgery the following Saturday where they did 3 different skin grafts. He has numerous other health issues including diabetes and heart problems so the doctors have been amazed at how he has done so far.

Today they are wanting to send him home feeling like he will recover at home much better than being somewhere so far from home and away from my mamaw (they've been married almost 75 years). I am asking that you pray for him today and for my dad and step mom. The doctors are wanting my dad to drive him home. Currently he can barely stand up or walk and my dad is just very concerned and stressed wondering how they are going to make the drive with him and take care of him. Please pray for wisdom for all involved. For patience, understanding, strength, and safe travel. I know God has brought him this far and will continue to be with them. Praying for a full recovery and that through it all God will get all the glory! Thanks so much!

Lily Cate one day old...1lb. 6oz.

Lily Cate...one year old...14lbs

Lily Cate...two years old...22lbs

I can't even believe that my tiny miracle baby is two years old today! I have been so emotional leading up to this day. A part of me is sad because my last baby is getting so big and growing up so fast. And another part of me is so filled with amazement at God's grace and work in Lily's short life. This morning I couldn't even get through my prayers without just breaking down. I was so overwhelmed with how many people sent messages remembering it was Lily's birthday before I even mentioned it. It just reminded me of how her tiny beginning was such a testimony of God's grace and mercy and how even the tiniest and youngest person can be used by God.

It really seems like yesterday that this whole saga began. Being put on bed rest after having a recovery cerclage placed and spending several days in the hospital on that lovely magnesium drip. I remember being in bed and thinking I can do this. Whatever it takes I can keep her in as long as she needs to be. Then barely two weeks later Houston gets hit with a hurricane and everything is a mess and so crazy. I remember going to the doctors office for my first appointment after being on bed rest and knowing that something was wrong but never would have dreamed it was that wrong. I will absolutely never forget the doctor looking at me after examining me and saying her bag of water was coming through my cerclage and asking what I wanted to do. I remember thinking what do you mean what do I want to do...I want to keep her. Whatever it takes I'll do it.

I'll never forget the high risk doctor assigned to me at the hospital downtown saying that he would be surprised if I made it another day without having her and how annoyed I was at his negative attitude. I will also never forget the NICU doctor/resident coming and going over statistics on Lily's chances of surviving being born this early. As soon as he left the room I told Greg to throw it away! I wish I could show him how wrong he was!!!

I remember seeing her for the first time and thinking am I dreaming? Is this really my baby? I personally was really sick/weak at the time (although I didn't know it yet) and it was just so hard to process anything those first few weeks. But somehow I never doubted that God was with her and that I would take her home!

And now my feisty 1lb 6oz. baby is almost 22lbs and absolutely doing amazing. She is talking like crazy and even started asking "Why". Her favorite phrases are "I do it" and "I got it." She is fearless, an amazing climber, very funny, she loves being outside and getting dirty and absolutely LOVES her big brother. She is finally on the growth charts and has blown every medical professionals mind at how well she looks and how well she has developed. There is no other explanation except that she is a miracle of our loving, healing, powerful God. To Him be the Glory forever and ever!

Prayers for Lily tomorrow

Lily following big brother to her first day of preschool!

Thomas was way too cool for pictures with little sis!

Lily's classic face!

She is seriously too much!

Almost 2 going on 16!

Lily started preschool one day a week last week. She did great and made it through the day without vomiting at school! I was so excited to pick her up and see that she was in the same outfit she started in!! She has great loving teachers. I know she is going to love it!

Tomorrow we go back to Duke for Lily's endoscopy. Please pray that everything goes smoothly and for the doctor and nurses to be compassionate and knowledgeable and to be precise. She will be under general anesthesia which is always a little scary but the worst part is that she can't eat anything until after!

I will update as soon as we know anything. Thanks so much for your prayers!

Myrtle Beach trip

This past weekend we went on our first family of four vacation. All of our vacations in the past have been with extended family or friends. It was also our first time to visit Myrtle Beach. It was so nice to only live 3 1/2 hours away from a beach but it simply isn't the same as the Gulf Coast beaches that we are used to. We had a great time and the kids loved the beach and pools. It was really hard to get used to the dark sand and the changing tides each day. We learned our lesson the first day about setting up on the beach too close to the water. By the tame we came back out after the kid's naps the water was coming up under our chairs! Luckily all of the kids toys were still there and nothing got too wet! I guess we should have caught on when we saw the rented chairs so far back on the beach! The second day we learned our lesson and just started way back and had a long walk to the water the first half of the day.

Thomas enjoying the water...

Lily's signature "cheese" face...

Thomas kissing a little fish that some boys caught and gave to him...

This one cracks me up...Lily saying, "I don't know"

Lily's sweet face again...

Our two silly monkeys...

Thomas' first day of pre-K

Today Thomas started Pre-K. He was excited but not nearly as excited as I was! It really didn't phase him. He wasn't nervous or sad when I left. He just went right in and started playing. He went to the same school last year so I think that helped.

I love this picture...Lily just adores her big brother!

She missed him this morning when we dropped him off. She would look at his seat in the car and say, "where bubby"?

My big stud walking to the car...

Once we got to school he was too cool for pictures!

He was not very interested in me anymore...ready to start his day!

He had a great first day. Thursday Lily will be going for her first day too!

First, thank you all so much for praying for Lily's appointment on Thursday. They were definitely felt. Overall it was a a great experience from the moment we got there until the moment we left. It was a really long day but Lily did great.

I really like the new GI doctor. I felt like he was thinking outside the "reflux box" which is all I wanted someone to do. He also is not an experimental medicine pusher which I also agree with and like. He had several different theories as to why she is vomiting so much but our next step is for Lily to have an endoscopy on September 15th to check for eosinophilic esophagitis. To find out more about it click here. I am not very good at explaining it.

Her appointment with the high risk developmental clinic went amazing. She saw a child psychologist who did several types of testing to see what developmental age Lily was currently at. It wasn't a big surprise that Lily passed with flying colors. Several times I was actually moved to tears watching her to see how God not only allowed her to survive her early arrival but how He has grown her and developed her in such a way that the ONLY explanation is that she IS a true miracle of His work. The doctor said she had never seen a child born as early as Lily and score as high as she scored. On all areas except for one she scored in the 95th or 98th percentile and was scoring at a 25 month old age instead of a 19 month old which is her corrected age right now. I say this not to brag about my smart child but to share His great work in her life! God is so good!

What a day...thanks for your prayers. We will definitely keep you posted after the endoscopy. Have a great Labor Day!

"I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." Psalm 9:1-2

Heading to Duke...

Tomorrow we go to Duke for the first time to see a pediatric gastroenterologist to hopefully start getting some answers. I have been waiting for this appointment for forever it feels like. I am sooo ready to have some sort of answers as to why Lily is continuing to vomit so frequently. After another vomiting episode last night that woke her from sleeping, Greg and I sat down and just felt so sorry for her. After so many of her vomiting episodes we are just angry and frustrated and just so over it all that I think we forget how awful this must be for her and her little body. I mean last night she had been asleep for almost two hours and woke up wining and moaning and within a couple of minutes vomited up everything still in her tummy and right away she was feeling much better and went back to sleep. How awful she must have felt to be woken up by that...

So in the midst of me anxiously awaiting this appointment, God has been teaching or at least trying to teach me that I am putting too much expectations on people to meet my needs instead of simply relying on Him. He alone knows my every need better than I do and yet I am putting so much faith in this doctor that I haven't even met and hoping and almost begging that he will give me answers when God has been with us and with Lily from her tiny beginning and is and has done amazing things with her.

Our past two sermons have really hit home with me and I felt like God was staring me in the face trying to get my attention each Sunday. Two weeks ago is was from Mark 8:1-21 and it was about ten lies that Satan wants us to believe. Several of them I realized I have been believing. One was that Jesus doesn't care. In my most frustrating moments and darkest places I almost start to believe that. I think where is God, why isn't He answering my prayers and healing Lily of this one last issue. Which brings me to the next lie that Satan wants us to believe is that Jesus is just one miracle after another. God didn't want us to be in love with the gifts He is giving us but be in love with the Giver. I think we saw Him heal Lily in the Nicu time and time again and I just felt like he should do it again when I want it. But I am realizing and learning through our sermons that He doesn't instantly heal because He wants us to dwell in Him and not wander. Instead of me putting so much hope in a doctor or in different therapies etc, I need to go back to the One who is hope and who so graciously and lovingly never leaves me even when I try to leave Him and whose Word is full of all wisdom and direction that I will ever need. To hear the full sermons click here. The sermons I am referring to are from 8/22 and 8/29.

So what I am trying to say is that I know God is with Lily even in her sickest moments and even in my most frustrating moments. I know that the same God that has healed and grown my tiny 1lb. 6oz. baby girl will continue to do so. I know that even though He has healed her/us in the past our lives aren't free from suffering and aren't' going to be perfect. He heals us in a way that we have to stay with Him and if we abide in Him and keep coming back for "His touch" Jesus will finish what He started.

Please pray for tomorrow that the doctors will have compassion for Lily's quality of life and will have full understanding to the depth of her problems. Pray also that even if we don't get any answers or hope for answers that I will continue to trust The Healer and know that He is in control and will heal her in His timing.

Our neighbor down the street gave Thomas a big boy bike recently. Thomas has been riding a skuut bike and is amazing on it. Our hope with him riding the skuut is that he wouldn't have to use training wheels. Here is his first attempt at riding the big boy bike. He did great but it is still a little too big for him.

Thomas loves to dance...and we love to watch!

First family hiking trip...

These are some pictures from our hiking trip to Hanging Rock State Park. It was our first hiking trip with the kids. They loved it! Thomas had a blast seeing all the water falls and loved using the map to tell us which way to go! It was beautiful and only took us about 40min to drive there from our house. We are looking forward to more trips like this.

You might notice in some of the pictures that Thomas is soaking wet. Right after hiking to the first waterfall, Greg slipped on a rock with Lily on his back hitting Thomas and causing him to fall into the freezing cold water. I of course was trying to get a picture of all of them and couldn't get to Thomas fast enough! He fell just perfectly in between two rocks and wasn't hurt at all. It scared us all but Thomas handled it perfectly and within a few minutes was ready to go back into the water! What a trooper!

Lily update...22 months

This video is only a glimpse into how wild and crazy Lily and Thomas get when they start playing together. This activity of chasing each other around the house happens after every meal while I am trying to clean up. They both love it and laugh and scream the whole time. However it usually ends with someone (usually Lily) getting hurt. Imagine that!

I wanted to update you on Lily. It has been a while since I've talked about her and her progress. I wish I could say that the vomiting has stopped or at least gotten better, but unfortunately it hasn't. I will say that her random episodes of vomiting are fewer now which is good. At least now we are learning the warning signs and can sometimes make it to the toilet or trash can or just avoid getting it all over ourselves. She mostly now vomits when she gets hurt, scared, really upset and when we leave her, like at nursery. This is the third Sunday in a row that she has vomited at church! UGH!! But it is also totally affecting her sleep. We can't just put her to bed and let her cry because she will throw up. So nap time and bed time now are very stressful.

She is still on Prevacid and after trying another medicine and after several months with her current GI doctor, we decided it was time to move on. She now has an appointment with a pediatric GI doctor at Duke. I know this is probably where she should have been all along since it is very comparable to where she was in Houston and they are used to dealing with preemies like Lily. So I am anxious for the appointment which isn't until August 30th. So for now we just hope and pray for a few vomit free days!

She has quite the personality these days. She is very independent and stubborn! She climbs anything and everything. I will be doing the dishes in the kitchen and turn around and she is on top of the kitchen table, or climbing the shelves in the pantry, or climbing in anything she thinks she might can fit in. She loves playing outside and loves watching her big brother Thomas and wants to do everything that he is doing. She can climb the rock wall on the swing set and climbs the monkey bar ladder all the way to the top! She absolutely has no fear with anything. Even water. She loves being in the water and will just jump right off the side or stairs ready or not! She is really funny. She will try to say or do just about anything you ask her to. She loves making you laugh and will continue to force her funny little laugh if she sees you are laughing! She absolutely loves playing in the dirt and mulch! The dirtier she is the happier she is! Greg asked me yesterday if I thought she would every play with dolls! Who knows. She is truly her own little person!

Slide show of our trip to Lake Martin

Our last stop was to Greg's parent's beautiful home on Lake Martin. We were excited that we got to pick daddy up at the airport on the way there. We love going to the lake and always have such a great time there. It brings back so many special memories especially since we were married there! This was Lily's first time to really get in the lake. She loves the water but really wanted to get in without her life jacket! Both kids loved the boat and Thomas really loved driving the boat. We enjoyed spending time with Greg's sister Leah and her two precious boys, Owen and Ethan. It was so much fun watching all the kids playing together. We also got to see a lot of other extended family which was great. Thomas, Lily, and Greg went to the farm in Goodwater, AL and the kids got to ride a little horse named Buddy! Thomas loved it but I think Lily was more interested in the dog! We all had a great time and were sad to end our trip to Alabama. Looking forward to seeing all of our family again soon!

Slide show of our trip to Hartselle, AL

So, our next stop in our three week vacation was to Hartselle, AL to visit my mom, step dad, and sister Shelby. We had a great time and enjoyed seeing my great-grandmother who Lily is named after and seeing my Granddaddy and step grandmother, and my aunt and cousin. The kids had a lot of fun swimming, eating yummy food, and playing with the cats and dogs. Thomas was super spoiled with a lot of one on one attention from my sister and mom! I also got to get out and do a little shopping in the cute downtown shops. Thanks Gran and Papa Carl for a great visit!

Slide show of our beach pictures. Press play to get it to start. I couldn't figure out how to do a normal slide show so I had to do it as a movie! Whatever works, right?

So, it has been quite a while since I last updated the blog so I have lots to catch up on. For now, I am going to start with the most recent. About a month ago the kids and I took a 3 week trip to visit family in Alabama while Greg traveled with work for a couple of weeks. We started our vacation at the beach with my dad, Leigh, my sisters Leslie and Allison, and my sister Lauren and her 4 kids. Needless to say our condo was quite crazy with that many kids! We had a great time and Thomas and Lily loved catching up with their cousins. Lily LOVED the beach and ocean! I was super excited that she seemed to have taken after me with her love for the beach! Her first day in the sand she did a belly flop right into it and starting moving her arms around like she was making a snow angel. Thomas loved the ocean and liked to build sand castles but he is a lot like his daddy and really didn't care for the sand to be anywhere but on the beach! :-) We missed daddy but loved hanging out with Nana and Pop and my sisters and nieces and nephews.

My next blog will have pictures from our next stop in Alabama!