6 Month Letter to Sadie Beth

Sadie Beth,

You are a whole 6 months old today! It doesn't seem like it has been half a year since we brought you home from the hospital. Time is really flying by us but I hope to relish every moment with you!!!!

You have changed so much in one months time.

You are enjoying lots of nibbles on your chubby little fingers and your whole hand if you can manage to get it all into your mouth (among anything else that you pick up). I will have to watch you carefully when you are mobile for this reason (EVERYTHING goes to the mouth).

Your little head is becoming more round with each passing day.

Your hands and feet serve as entertainment for you on most days, but you still enjoy a good chew toy.

You LOVE the TV but Mommy doesn't like for you to watch it....smile.

You make me warm and fuzzy inside with your open mouth smile when you wake up from a nap.

Your sweet coos are MUCH louder these days but most of the time I still enjoy them (listening to them now and I'm smiling).

I love the way you like to cover your face with your bib (I think you might like the smell of the laundry detergent, so cute).

I love the way you grab my face while I am feeding you and grab your daddy's beard when he is feeding or playing with you.

You are a "woman" who already knows what you want and you're not scared to express it. I hope this trait sticks with you so that you can become what God desires for you.

I love the way you make that sound like a motor boat with your tongue even though you can produce a massive amount of saliva in the process. I love watching you and daddy play this game, taking turns.

You are sleeping through the night in your bed (not the swing) these days and it makes mommy and daddy very proud.

You are trying really hard to sit without support.

I love the way you laugh at Mili.

Cuddling with you after a long day makes everything OK!!!!

I love you more than I could ever express in writing. I am SO glad God gave you to me!!!!
I love you to the moon and back and then some!!!!
Mommy

Water Girl

Daddy is getting Sadie Beth ready to be the "water girl" for a football team (no dating the football players).

Brian has this jug that he drinks his water from to make sure he gets enough water throughout the day. He was using it one day to calm Sadie down as she sat in her chair next to him. Now she thinks she should have it anytime Daddy has it and screams until she gets it.

We have to be careful or she will beat herself up with the thing but she loves to play with it.



My bottle!!!!


Look how strong I am!



I don't know my own strength!!

Sadie says, "Don't forget to get your 8 glasses of water each day."

Ten Not So Tiny Toes

Not too long ago Mili saw me changing socks or my bare feet after getting out of bed (I wear socks all day long in the winter time so she hasn't paid very much attention to my feet before). She saw remnants of my pink toe nail polish. She said, "Mommy, I want my toes pink too." Ever since then she has been asking me to paint her toe nails. I kept telling her that it had to be warm enough outside to sit on the balcony and paint them (really I think that painted toe nails means she is not a baby anymore so I was stalling as long as possible :)



Mili asked me again the other day so I knew it was still on her mind. So yesterday when it was sunny and 70 degrees by noon I thought I'd better take the opportunity to paint those sweet toes that used to be so small (not anymore, bigfoot).



When I went to bathe Mili last night she said, "No, Mommy I don't want to get in the bathtub, it will wash off my pink." I had to explain to her that it was permanent but she still doesn't quite get that part. She never took her eyes off her toes the entire time she was in the bathtub. When we got out of the tub she said, "Mommy, the pink is still on, it not comed off."



She picked out the color herself. She likes bright, bold colors that make a statement like someone else I know :)

Them are some cute little piggies!!!

Back at ya Superman!!!

Brian,



Here are some things that make our relationship special.
These are in no special order and there are many many more but time and brain power are limited :)

• I LOVE YOU MORE (this can go on for days)


• I can't find my pantyhose (the words that came out of my mouth before walking down the aisle on our wedding day-You saved the day by finding and bringing me my pantyhose, however, I would have walked down the aisle barefoot to marry the love of my life.


• TICKLE FINGERS


• Saying Goodnight and parting for the last time at night NEVER to have to do it again (minus a few business trips and a mission trip)


• HUNGRY TWICE


• Moving to another town (while our car was broke down) within the first 6 months of our married lives together to find out that God wanted us there and used us in many peoples' lives including several salvation experiences for Christ.


• KEEPER OF THE STARS (song at our wedding) I do thank the keeper of the stars for putting us together


• I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH (-) inherited from Brian's parents


• Seeing two pink lines (twice) and giggling in my parents' guest bedroom bed at 4:30 in the morning after testing, knowing that we were the only ones that knew we were pregnant and having that perfect timing to be able to share with the whole family at a Sunday dinner before we flew back home to MD.


• ALPHA-BRAVO-CHARLIE (it means nothing but to us it is our password for when conversation is out of control or can be damaging to the girls or ourselves....it makes us crack up every time one of us says it).


• Natural childbirth......what a great way to get as close as possible to you. I have never felt more intimate with you than during my labor with Mili (and Sadie but that is a whole other story). You were the PERFECT coach.


• THE CALM LOOK ....you have this look that can calm me in any circumstance (including our crazy birth experience with Sadie). If you had not been by my side for that experience I am sure the doctor would have had to put me under.


• DADDY....It gets me gushy when I hear Mili call you Daddy with such enthusiasm. I am so glad you are my babies daddy.


• Let me take her.....the best words that come out of your mouth after a long day with the girls and I just need a short break from them.


• Go take a bath.....the second best words you say after "Let me take her" :)


• MOVING TO ANOTHER STATE....changing everything we have ever known to move to another location was tough but I can do anything with you by my side. We have not only survived but we are blooming where God has planted us.


• Anywhere but Africa....We have always joked about where we were willing to go, but if God called us to Africa I believe you would take our family there....Praise God for a godly husband and father.


• WAIT, MOMMY AND DADDY ARE TRYING TO TALK.....if we didn't have to say this it would mean that you didn't give me the most precious things in our life....Mili and Sadie (as she screams right now:)


• Brake, Brake....when you would be driving in front of me and tap your brakes twice to warn me of potholes in the road...I love the way you protect me! I am smiling right now (ok, with a small tear or two) thinking of how many trips we made back and forth to church doing this.


• HOW MUCH? (in sign language or spoken) We asked each other this question and still do each time there is a love offering at church for something. We are amazingly close...within $5 of each other each time.
• I love you to the moon and back (from the book "Guess How Much I Love You")
• A MILLION KISSES (something we started with Mili when we wanted her to kiss us)

I have the best life ever.

I AM SO GLAD GOD GAVE YOU TO ME!!!!!!!!

Thank you for being a wonderful husband and father. I love you more than words can say!

Happy Valentine's Day

Love

Alice

Happy Valentine's Day Alice!!!!!!!!!!

I would first like to let everyone know that this is Brian speaking. I have hijacked Alice's blog so that I might proclaim how fantastic she is to all the world.

Alice is such an amazing woman. She is every aspect of the Proverbs 31 woman. In fact, I think King Solomon might of added a few qualities to his list had he met Alice. She is a fantastic friend, lover, helpmate and mother. When I see her with Sadie and Mili, I am just amazed. All of the things that I think of as work (e.g. bathing, changing, feeding, etc.), she embraces. She literally relishes every moment with her two girls.

Alice is also a very kind and caring woman. She never meets a stranger and she tries never to let someone continue with a need that she could meet. She is a fantastic Christian and many times has helped keep our family on the right track.

Of all the tings I treasure about Alice, I treasure the fact that she is my best friend. I know that wherever we go, whatever we do, I have someone who will support me, stand up for me, encourage me, and talk with me. She is my anchor, my rock, my light, my angel, and my shield.

Alice,
When you read this, I want you to know that I love you so much. Much more than these small, simple words can say. When we started out together 19 years ago, I never imagined life would be so good. How could I have imagined the amazing times God had in store for us. I am thankful everyday, that you did not say no to a young goofy 12 year old boy who stuttered as he said "Will you go out with me?". Although the pause was a little uncomfortable :))), I will never forget the joy that raced into my heart when you said yes. I know I have not always done the right things, or treated you the right way. But the one thing I hope you and everyone else can say is that I have loved you with every ounce of me. You are so special to me. The way you love me and care for me has transformed who I am as a husband, a father, and a lover. You make me better in every way. I love you. Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Love,
Brian

Most of you all can remember my post around Christmas time about Brian's mom's side of the family giving our "dirty santa" money ($10 each) to Heifer International.

I wanted enough to get a Goat ($120). Well, God provided enough for TWO Goats ($240). Isn't that awesome. You can NEVER out give God. He proves to be in control ALL the time.

I am sorry I am late on posting about this but life has been a little crazy around here. We are so thankful for the TWO Goats but not nearly as thankful as the family that receives them or whole community that will be forever changed by them.

To think that that $10 would have been used for something that we may or may not have used and would have eventually become useless and surely nothing that would be life changing like a pair of GOATS!!!

God is GOOD ALL the time!

Hugs and Kisses!!!

More of What You Want to See!

I haven't had much time to blog lately so I will try to just catch you up with some pictures.

Hope everyone is doing okay and hope you enjoy our little ones, they are growing too fast!!!

LOVE TO ALL !!

Imaginary Friend????

Today we ventured out to the playground on campus. It was a wonderful 70 something degrees and I was lovin' every minute of it.

We set off with Mili's hand in mine and Sadie strapped on in a carrier. I took a towel to wipe down the slide (it had been raining). Mili was so excited to play outside and to slide down the slide that she was pretty much speechless (thank God for a little quiet time).

However, it didn't take long for the imagination station to get it's wheels turning. There is a steering wheel on one of the sets of stairs going up to the slide. Mili loves it and now that she can imagine in detail she really LOVES it.

Mili asked me to get up on the stairs with her so we could go somewhere. I asked where she was driving us to and her response was, "Bethlehem".

Mommy: Oh really, what are we going to do there?

Mili: Pick up Baby Jesus.

Mommy: Ok

Mili: We are there Mommy get out!

Mommy: (getting down from the stairs and thinking the Baby Jesus thing is over).

Mili then runs around to the bottom of the slide and "gets" Baby Jesus off the end of the slide. She continues to walk around with her arms out as if she is holding a baby. She then wants to swing Baby Jesus and then she decides that He should go in a front carrier like Sadie. So then she carefully puts one hand on her chest every time she does anything to make sure "Baby Jesus" would not fall out.

After about an hour of play time we headed back to our apartment. Mili lets me know that "Baby Jesus" is coming home with us. As we walk home she says, "Mommy I let Baby Jesus down to hold my hand." And she held her hand out as if she was holding someones hand the whole time we walked home.

Imaginary Friend---I think NOT!!!

Mili's Prayer

Mili has started praying in the last few months. As most of you know, kids prayers are the sweetest thing that falls on ones ears (especially if it is your child...all smiles).



Tonight as I put Mili to bed she clasped her hands, spit out the paci so God can hear her (or so Mommy can hear...another smile) and started with her sweet prayer to God.



"Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Sadie and blessings (always in a whisper, don't know why) and church and all my friends in classroom and thank you for muffins and spiderman party (James, her buddy is having a spiderman birthday party soon) Amen."



Mommy: (with tears) I am sure God is happy to hear from you tonight, He always likes it when we talk to him.



Mili: Yeah Mommy is He in heaven?



Mommy: Yes baby He lives in heaven.



Mili: And Jesus too?



Mommy: Yes baby



Mili: That way up, up, up high in the sky?



Mommy: Yes baby it is.



Mili: I want Jesus to have a slide.



Mommy: Why? (couldn't wait to hear this one)



Mili: He need to slide down and eat some muffins with me.



Oh my, Jesus must really like Him some muffins or Mili just wants Him to like muffins as much as she does.

Just wanted to share my fabulous night with all of you!

(forgive me for any misspelled word I may have missed, the spell check is not working)