Many Faces of Nathan

The Sleepy...

The Serious...

The Dazed...

The Happy...

The Content...


The Silly...

The "Melt my heart because you are just so cute :)"

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 NIV

Take me to the river...

Take me to the river...

Drop me in the water...

Spoil me with autie lovin'...

and...

Uncle lovin' ;)
Love smiley face pancakes...

and corn on the cob....

the man who makes it all possible...

There is nothing like spending the 4th of July at our family camp with the ones you love.

At the Beach and Blessed

Every year Matt's family goes to the beach in the Outer Banks. We are so blessed.

Fun with the cousins

Nathan enjoying his first beach vacation

Fun at the seashore

The "Big" water

Hiding during a thunderstorm

"Look, Daddy, a Cwab!"

The crab

Relaxing at the pool

We sure did play hard

Mitch and Katie's Wedding

Much has happened since my last post...a new addition to the family, David's birthday, Mitch and Katie's wedding, and now our family trip to the beach. Pics from David's birthday will come later. Here's just a little peak into our fun-filled wedding weekend.

Breakfast before the big day!

David really liked his pancakes!

The grandkids

Daddy and his ringbearer

My favorite...the ringbearer and flower girl.

The highlight of the day for me was when David walked down the aisle and put his Thomas the train engine on his pillow :) I am just so sorry I didn't get a picture of it.

Congratulations Mitch and Katie may your life together be blessed with God's fullness.

We love you.

Balloons

We got so many wonderful gifts and surprises while we were in the hospital with Nathan. This is a VERY special thanks to Aunt Becky and Uncle Fred for the balloon bouquet...It's the gift that keeps on giving :) Enjoy!

1 week old

Our family has grown...

Nathan means, "Gift of God". He is truly a perfect gift.

Happy 1 week Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday!

Nathan Ryan born Monday, May 17th @ 9:06am

6 lbs. 10oz. 18 3/4 inches long

Happy Easter!

"To a Christian, Easter Sunday means everything, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
-- Bernhard Langer

"Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness."

-- Floyd W. Tomkin

"The great gift of Easter is hope - Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph, and in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake."

-- Basil C. Hum

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.'"
-- John 11:25-26 NIV

Our New Addition

I have two beautiful children. They are just so cute (most of the time) and I learn something new from them almost every day. It may surprise you that I really was not that excited when I found out baby #3 was on his way. First, because I am really bad at being pregnant. Second, because I always get fat and usually have 35lbs to lose after having my babies. Third, I just figured out how to juggle 2 children. Now a third one is on the way. Our life is so uncertain right now. All of our plans have not worked out. I am scared. And yet, we have a little one on the way. Someone that God planned for us, even if we didn't plan it. So I have so much love and joy for this little one in my belly and I know that this little one will bring us all the more joy and way more happiness than any of the hardships he may cause.

Yes, we are having another little boy due around June 1st. Just like his sister and brother, he will probably look like his Daddy, which is ok with me b/c I think their Daddy is pretty cute :)
No, we do not have a name yet, and probably won't until I am in labor---just how we work. So to our wonderful little boy on the way....

We love you so much and can not wait for you to join our world. Your big brother and sister say, "HI!"

Cinderella

Abby and Fairy GodMother

A few weeks ago, Matt was the accompanist for the local schools Spring Musical "Cinderella". It is a cute show by Rogers and Hammerstein. Abby, of course, just LOVED it. Se dressed up in her Cinderella dress and got pictures with the characters. Then her grandma took her back the next night and she got autographs from the cast members. A little girl's dream come true.


Step Sisters


Cinderella

She is still singing songs from the show. Matt laughs and says, "That is definitely her Mommy in her." Yes... she's my girl!

Matt's Birthday

This week was Matt's Birthday. He turned 35 on Wednesday. Abby was so excited to celebrate. The day did not turn out like we had hoped. First, I was at the hospital for 4 hours taking a glucose tolerance test. Second, David was sick with an ear infection so Matt was on the phone most of the morning trying to get David an appointment to see a doctor. Third, the house was a mess b/c Matt was working on installing a new dishwasher, but did not have the right parts.

We took Abby to church, and she told everyone that Daddy had a very sad birthday. I asked her what she thought would make it a happy birthday. She said, "We need people to come to the house, then it would be a happy birthday." So after church we had Abby's little cousins come to the house with some of my family and Mona and Ron. We ate ice cream cake and the kids screamed of excitement the whole time. The day turned out to be a Happy day after all.

Since then, Matt has been pretty sick. He has caught some virus and has bronchitis on top of that. I have not yet been able to take him out for a birthday date. In spite of this not being a "perfect" birthday celebration, we are still happy to celebrate at all.
Happy Birthday, Matt! You mean so much to us. You are an amazing husband and Daddy and the Lord has filled our lives with great joy because of you.