Life's Blessings

Way Over Due. Claira update.

2010-03-27T14:05:00.007-05:00

Our life has been a little crazy the past couple of months and it's not going to calm down any time soon. We put our house on the market in August, found out we were pregnant the next day, sold our house in Dec., moved in with some great friends until we found our next home in Feb. The past two months have been unpacking, getting settled and getting ready for baby #2 to arrive.I realized that my blog had totally been abandoned....and baby Grady will be here in just a few days. So, I wanted to write about how wonderful our Claira is before baby gets here and she loses complete ownership of the spotlight.

Claira and I have had an amazing few months of mommy/daughter time. She has gotten to be such a big girl and wants to do everything "my self". We have really tried to focus on putting other stuff aside to just do fun things with her. I think because of it, I have realized how much more she is capable of. She is mommy's helper whenever she can be. She sets the table, helps me cook and loves to use the Swiffer WetJet (yes, I have taught my not yet 2 year old to mop the kitchen floor).
Claira's loves right now:
Green Eggs and Ham... which has turned into the theme for her 2nd Birthday party. If there is something she doesn't want to eat on her plate, all you have to say is "Try them, try them and you may" and she will respond " You may like_________" and then takes a big bite. It's wonderful.
Princess, and Fancy Nancy. Dressing up in her fancy dress or putting on a tutu.
Playdough and watercolors.
Helping Dad with the garden.
Bubble baths with colored water.
Walking to the car "like a big girl"... I don't have to hold onto her every second and she thinks it's so cool.
Rocks... I'm not sure how many I pulled out of the car the other day. Every time she gets in she grabs another one from whatever parking lot we are in.
Picnic on a blanket; lunches in the park or popcorn in the living room before bed.
Playing the piano or dancing with her daddy.

We aren't exactly sure how much she grasps about what is going to happen in the next few days or what we mean when we say "Baby Grady will be here soon" but, it seems like she understands more than I thought she would. She is super excited about being a big sister, holding him, giving him his bottle and making sure he isn't crying. She is not a fan of loud noises at all... so it should be interesting to see how she reacts to his cry. We put the carseat base in the car the other day and every time she gets in she says "Baby Grady come out and sit in the backseat with me." She loves it when someone sit in the back with her and can't wait to not be alone back there anymore.

Ok, I could go on and on about our sweet little girl forever. She is so much fun and so full of energy. I can't believe she is about to be 2 and that we are about to have 2!
Here are a few pics of our big girl.

At the zoo.

Showing off her cute dimples.

Mopping in her "fancy dress".

In her new lime green/ladybug room. Complete with a big girl bed.

It's been too long.

2009-10-13T20:53:00.003-05:00

No, I haven't forgotten about the blog and no, our life isn't so boring that I don't have anything to blog about. For some reason I feel like every blog post has to have a few updated pictures of Claira. That would mean I would have to take pictures of Claira, which would mean that I would have to remember to buy new batteries for the camera. Well, I haven't but, Claira spent 9 days at Grammy and Pa's house and they took pictures and gave them to us. So, now I can blog. (Aren't you glad I explained all of that!)

Yes, I did say NINE days at Grammy and Pa's. It was a very long time but she had a blast and it was nice for Brandon and I to have some time together both at home and traveling. We went to dinner & a movie and then got to sleep in on Saturday morning. Brandon even "made" me breakfast in bed (the Krispy Kreme donuts we got on our way home from the movie). We then

went to Atlanta for the Catalyst conference and Uplift board meeting. The conference was amazing and we had a great time with all the board members. Uplift 2010 is well on its way to being a wonderful summer.

Brandon and I flew to Lubbock and then drove to Clovis, NM on Saturday night. Claira was asleep but we went and peeped in. We got to worship with the church in Clovis on Sunday and came home to an amazing Grammy cooked Sunday lunch.

Claira grew so much in the 9 days we were gone. Grammy even decided to start potty training her!! She is going a great job. She is a little afraid of the big scary public restrooms, so much so that she held it for 9 hours while we drove to the airport and flew home yesterday. Today, she went in the potty 5 times. She had two accidents, both Mom's fault for not getting her there fast enough. She is talking more and more every day. Say something one time and she has it down,

which means you have to be very careful what you say around her.

It's good to be home and getting back into our routine. Now, if I could only get the suitcases unpacked.

Ok, so here are some new pictures of Claira thanks to Grammy.

Claira has some news.

2009-08-26T16:35:00.005-05:00

Claira's latest.

2009-08-06T22:30:00.003-05:00

Here is an update of our rapidly growing little girl.

Claira is getting so big. She is becoming such a little girlie girl. She wakes up in the morning and the first thing she says is "bow". Yes, she wants me to put a bow in her hair, and in my hair, and on each of Pooh's ears. This morning she ended up with four bows in her hair by the time I picked her up out of the crib.
She has become obsessed with her baby dolls. She feeds them from her sippy cups, strolls them around the house, tucks them in for naps and this morning one of them had to sit at the table and eat breakfast with us. I made her leave them in the car today when we went to the post office, we had to strap them into the carseat before we could go inside. She is cracking me up.
We have been reading books constantly. If anyone has board books they don't want anymore, send them my way. I am so tired of reading the same books over and over again.
Claira is talking up a storm. It's so cool to finally be able to communicate with her. She is learning to put words together; "more bread please", "puppy dog", "pink dog", "thank you momma", "baby doll", etc.
She understands most of what I say like "If you don't come here, I am going to spank you." Me saying that results in one of two things; her coming to me because she doesn't want to get spanked or her running and hiding behind the glider like I can't get to her there. Sometimes she thinks it's a game, its hard not to laugh at her.
Night before last the tornado sirens went off at 3a.m. Brandon got up grabbed blankets, flashligh, laptop and pillows. I got Claira, her monkey, Pooh, two blankets and her blankie. She thought we were having a middle of the night party in the hall way. We had a great time. I was so afraid she wouldn't go back to sleep, but we laid her down around 4 and didn't hear a peep until 8a.m.
We are really blessed with an amazing little girl. God is so good to us.

Claira and Mom- July 2009

June

2009-07-06T15:24:00.003-05:00

The last month has been super crazy in our life (as it always is). I am so thankful that Brandon gets to work with Uplift and that I get to help him do it. It is so much fun and great to see so many teens come together to worship the Lord. We are slowly recovering from three weeks of very little sleep.

Claira was not so sure about this Uplift thing. She had fun but missed seeing her daddy and having mommy's undivided attention. My mom was here for week 1 and Brandon's mom was here for weeks 2 & 3. Thank the Lord for Nonna and Grammy!!! Last year Claira just slept in the stroller and ate all the time. Not this year, she is always on the move and getting into things. Grammy drove to Little Rock and got Claira a Cozy Coupe car that she drove all over the Benson lobby. It was a lifesaver for a little girl who was already starting to hate being in the Benson.

One of the best parts about Uplift is that our best friends, Tyler and Kelly and their boys get to come help us. It is so great to spend three weeks together, catching up and letting our kids play. The verdict is still out on which boy Claira is going to marry. I don't know what we would do without them. Kelly and I managed to sneak away for a pedicure one day and it was wonderful.

Brandon is going to Nicaragua on Thursday so Claira and I are going to Atlanta on Wednesday to spend some time with my family before my parents move to Baton Rouge, LA in August. We are so excited about their new adventure.

We attempted to keep Claira up for the 4th of July fireworks, but she normally goes to bed by 8p.m. So, it was only 8:15p.m. when we decided to take the screaming child home. Hope you got to enjoy the fireworks for us. It was nice to come home and go to bed early after all the fun.

Here are a few pictures of our crazy June:

Making cookies with Grammy.

Going to church with Grammy while Mom and Dad worked.

Enjoying her first ride in the cozy coupe.

Going to get dessert with Keynan.
Keeping us entertained in the cafeteria.

Claira Update:13 months

2009-06-04T14:49:00.003-05:00

I am still in amazement at how fast our little girl is growing. I keep asking Brandon, "When did she get this big?" It seems like she should still be a little baby rocking in my arms. Good luck getting her to sit in your lap forget even trying to rock her.

This past week has been so fun just getting to spend some good quality time with just Claira.

"Trash" has been the new word for the past week or so. She picks anything up and puts it in the trash can for me. She stands next to me and waits for me to blow my nose so she can go put the tissue in the trash. She has started taking toliet paper off the role and then says "trash" and puts it immediately in the trash can (sometimes she pretends to blow her nose on it first).

Claira has also learned how to put words together "more please", "milk please", etc.

Everything is "one more". She can stack "one more" block on top, she can find "one more" piece of trash, she needs "one more" bite of food. She is so cute.

We have been taking her to campus to play on the front lawn in the evenings since no one is there. She is getting really good at kicking the ball. Her Uncle Jay would be very proud. She is going to be a great soccer player some day.

She wakes up in the morning ready to name all the things in her room and make all the animals noises to her stuffed animals. I love that the elephant is her favorite (ROLL TIDE!).

Another new thing is her need to "knock, knock" on every door. This has been especially funny since we are in Houston staying in a hotel. This morning she tried to knock, knock on every door on our way to breakfast (sorry to those people of the few doors she knocked on before we could stop her).

I think my most favorite thing she has been doing lately is her kisses. She's been blowing kisses and giving us kisses when we kiss her or if we ask for a kiss but recently she has just started walking up to us (and sometimes other people) and sticking out her lips to give us a kiss. She is such a sweet little girl.

Here is my new favorite Claira pic. taken by Brandon's sister, Christy, when we were at the zoo for Memorial Day/Carter's Birthday.
Thanks Nonna for the giraffe shirt that says "I love long hugs". Perfect for a day at the zoo.

24 of Carter.

2009-05-24T21:09:00.006-05:00

1. The way he gets excited about little things. Turning on a light, snack time, going outside, the wagon, etc.
2. Singing "Jesus Loves Me" when putting him down for a nap and him ending with a loud "SO"
3. His big laugh, especially when he and Claira make each other laugh continuously.
4. Every time we go somewhere, I load Claira in the car first and then come back for him and he asks "Where's Claira?" like he doesn't have a clue that she is in the car and then gets excited and screams "Claira!" When I open his car door and he sees her.
5. When he and Claira hold hands in the car.
6. His wet kisses.
7. The big hug he gives Claira after getting in trouble for being unkind to her.
8. The way he is always looking for my approval and wants me to be proud of him.
9. "HANDS!" - any time there is something (food, dirt, etc) on his hands that he wants you to get off.
10. Hitting the same button on a toy over and over again.
11. "No poopoo"- any time his diaper is just wet.
12.Wanting to be a big boy and help do anything I ask.
13. His love for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
14. Tickle time.
15. Singing. Especially "My God Is So Big" and "If you're happy and you know it"
16. The way he can stay clean when playing outside while Claira is covered in dirt.
17. The conversations he has with himself when he wakes up from his nap.
18. Reading books.
19. "Phone"- anytime my phone rings, he lets me know and helps me look for it.
20. "Nanon"- getting excited every time Brandon walks in the door.
21. "Bye Bye Nanon"- anytime Brandon kisses me Carter assumes he is leaving to go back to work.
22. Counting- Carter counts all the time especially when we are driving in the car.
23. "Shhh"- reminding me to be quiet when Claira falls asleep in the car.
24. Feeding Claira- when I ask him to share his snack with Claira he sweetly puts it in her mouth.

I have been so blessed by getting to keep Carter for the past 10 months. He is the most wonderful little nephew I could ever ask for. I am so thankful for the time we have spent together and the great friend Claira has. Carter's daddy is a school teacher, so he gets to spend the summer playing with his dad. I think Ben's goal is to remind Carter what it means to be a man; no teapots, baby dolls, bows or purses. I am excited about only having to take one kid to the grocery store and changing half as many diapers but I am sad that Claira is not going to have her playmate every day. Luckily Carter just lives around the corner and he did get a new swing set for his birthday this weekend. So, I have a feeling we will be visiting often.
So, on our last day together- I just wanted to say - "I love you Carter man."

Look how little they both were in August when Carter started coming over.

One of my favorite pics.
Talking on the remote/cell phones.
He wanted to wear a bow like Claira. (Shh, don't tell Ben.)
Fun times in the wagon.
They love to swing.
I might not miss the sound of the constant drumming.

2009-04-26T20:21:00.002-05:00

Claira’s Birthday Week:

Claira turned 1 year old on Tuesday. I can’t believe it has been a whole year. It has been a crazy, full week. Tuesday morning Claira opened her first round of presents and ate a big birthday breakfast with her mom, dad and best buddy Cousin Carter. They played hard all morning, then we met Brandon and Lloyd for lunch and then a trip to visit our animal friends at the pet store (if you don’t have a zoo, check out the pet store. Claira and Carter love it!). Claira got to spend her birthday evening with her Great Uncle Randy while Brandon and I went to the David Cook concert- I’m not much of a big concert fan, but it was a great show.

Wednesday- my mom and dad came in to continue the celebration. We took a big trip to Wal-Mart to get everything we needed for the big party on Saturday.

Thursday- Claira’s Great, Great Aunt Nancy and her Great Grandmother came in from Mississippi and Florida. Mom and I spent the morning working on Claira’s big birthday cake. We also had a big Uplift meeting Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

Friday- Brandon’s parents got in around lunch. I thought that was the end of the party train, little did I know that there were a few more people coming in. We went to One Stop in Georgetown on Friday night- all of both of our families together. The food was great, and it was so neat to see everyone together for Claira’s birthday.

Saturday-Mom, Brandon and I spent the morning putting up all the decorations and getting everything ready. My dad had spent the night with my Uncle Randy and they secretly went to the airport and picked up my sister and her little foster boy to surprise Claira (and me) for the party. The BIG PARTY. Everything went great. The weather was beautiful, and I think everyone had a great time. Claira got a lot of stuff, mostly some great outdoor toys including: a sandbox, picnic table, swing, wagon, bubble mower, and lots of bubbles. She also got a bunch of books, clothes, and fun girly stuff. It was so great to just relax and enjoy the day with our wonderful family. Claira decided to take a morning nap and slept right up to the time of the party- I was so glad she was well rested and ready for the fun. She was not a big fan of cake for the first time. She ate a few M&Ms off it but kept reaching for the cheetos left over from lunch (apparently she prefers salty to sweet). We took an afternoon nap and then met up with the Tittle family for dinner at a new pizza place in town. We went to the park afterwards and hung out for a little while before returning home to get Claira ready for bed and play cards with all of my family. It was such a great day.

Sunday: Today- Brandon and I left this morning to go on our anniversary trip to Washington D.C. Just incase the week wasn’t crazy enough… we were also getting ready to leave. Brandon’s parents are keeping Claira while we are gone for a few days. Currently we are sitting in the airport waiting for our connection.

I promise I will post pictures when we get back from our trip.

I still can’t believe we have a one year old. She’s growing so much every day. Every time I turn around she has learned a new word. Her new favorite for this week was “door” and then she knocks on the door and says “knock, knock,” and she also learned “star”.

I can’t wait to see what our beautiful little girl is going to do in the next year.

This is the only picture on Brandon's computer- Birthday morning opening presents. What a cute little girl.

How Can I Keep from Singing YOUR Praise?

2009-03-27T22:18:00.005-05:00

there is an endless song
echoes in my soul
i hear the music ring
and though the storms may come
i am holding on
to the rock i cling

how can i keep from singing your praise
how can i ever say enough
how amazing is your love
how can i keep from shouting your name
i know i am loved by the king
and it makes my heart want to sing

i will lift my eyes
in the darkest night
for i know my savior lives
and i will walk with you
knowing you'll see me through
and sing the songs you give

i can sing in the troubled times
sing when i win
i can sing when i lose my step
and fall down again
i can sing 'cause you pick me up
sing 'cause you're there
i can sing 'cause you hear me, lord
when i call to you in prayer
i can sing with my last breath
sing for i know
that i'll sing with the angels
and the saints around the throne

I got to sing this song on Wednesday night- standing between my parents in the teen center at their church. My parents are going through probably the worst storm of there lives and yet they have never lost sight of the one who is worthy of all of their praise. I sang as silent tears ran down my face as I thought about how God will always take care of us through the storm if we continue to look to him.
It has been so great to be with my family this week. I am sad that I am not here all the time to face the storm with them. I have always thought that my parents were pretty great people but this week I have gained a whole new respect for them and all they do for others.
I am laying in my bed in my parents house looking up at the glow-in-the-dark stars I put on this ceiling almost 12 years ago. As I am writing this, I am thankful that instead of being caught up in the storm, my parents went up to the church to spend a few hours in prayer together. I am blessed beyond anything I could ever imagine.

I know I am loved by the king and it makes my heart want to sing.

Thanks Esh for the beautiful pictures.

2009-03-25T13:58:00.004-05:00

My best friend from high school came to visit this past weekend. We had a great time watching Harry Potter, eating chocolate chip cookies and Krispy Kreme donuts, staying up way too late, but mostly playing with Claira. Esh is a wonderful photographer and I am so thankful she took some amazing pictures of Claira while she was here. Here are a few of the 181 pictures she took. Check out my facebook album for a few more.

Claira loving on her baby doll. She wants you to take turns loving on the doll with her.

I love her dimples.

We were singing- "My God is so BIG, so strong and so mighty. There's nothing my God can not do."

Her hair is getting too long to leave down. I like the new do when she will sit still long enough for me to fix it.

Thanks Auntie Esh for the new shades.
I can't beleive Claira turned 11 months old on Saturday. She is almost 1 and I'm not ready for it yet. We are in Atlanta for the week spending some time with my family and celebrating my nephews 2nd birthday- missing "dada" who stayed home to work.
Hope you are having a blessed week.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

2009-03-17T08:55:00.003-05:00

Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday.
Claira will be 11 months old this weekend!!! Mom is not ready to have a 1 year old. She is growing and learning so much every day.

Here's our big girl ready for St. Patrick's Day.

Claira is Walking (for real this time)

2009-02-14T10:22:00.006-06:00

Claira is Walking from Brandon Tittle on Vimeo.

Claira and Carter

2009-02-12T09:45:00.003-06:00

I am so thankful that Claira gets to play with her cousin Carter during the day. They have so much fun together. Now, there are times when Claira drives Carter crazy. Now that she can walk, she will walk to Carter and then fall on him. Carter is not impressed by her new talent. He has been known to knock her down or hit her with a toy. Can't say I blame the kid, she can be really annoying when you keep getting attacked.
Here are a few pictures of the two cousins. They were obsessed with looking out the window yesterday and they both have a love for cheese quesadillas and black beans. The two of them can eat a whole can of black beans for lunch. Cleaning them off is not a fun chore but its so good for them.

Today's 25 things.

2009-01-29T09:31:00.003-06:00

My 25 Random Things..... for today.
I have several things I wanted to write on my blog. Decided it would be easier to list them all.

1. Claira got her 7th tooth yesterday.
2.My sister and her husband got two new little foster boys yesterday. I don't know if I could do that.
3. My mom turned 50 years old on Monday!!!!
4. Claira and I are flying home tomorrow to celebrate the big occasion.
5.I hate trying to pack all of Claira's things in one suitecase with my stuff.
6. Flying with a bottle fed baby is no fun (especially by yourself).
7. My grandma is coming to Atlanta this weekend too.
8. She has only seen Claira one time so I am excited she is going to see her again.
9. We got a DVR on Tuesday!! I love it.
10. The lady who installed the DVR on Tuesday dropped by this morning at 7:55 to see if I could babysit her child today.
11. I am already keeping my friend's daughter, Abby today.
12. I have no idea what you are supposed to say to a random lady who drops by with her child at 7:55.
13. I love that Carter gets to hang out with us every day, but I don't really want any more kids.
14. Someone should open a really great daycare in Searcy. They could make a ton of money.
15. I have no desire to open a daycare.
16. I am ready for warmer weather.
17. When Claira starts really walking we can play outside alot more.
18. Claira is taking a few steps and is getting better every day.
19. Claira has a runny nose and it's really gross.
20. I am already planning for Claira's birthday.
21. I don't know why I am so excited about it- it's still 3 months away.
22. This morning I have discovered how much Carter loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
23. It comes on at 6:30a.m. so today is the first day he has watched it here. Thanks DVR.
24. This week has been the first week that I really had to remind myself how blessed I am to be at home. Kids can wear you out.
25. I really do love my life.

Claira Wants to Walk Part 2

2009-01-18T15:08:00.005-06:00

Claira is trying very hard to figure out this walking thing. She is getting close. She has started taking a couple of small steps into your arms. She gets very excited. She also loves pulling up on things and letting go. She is so proud of herself when she can stand there for a few seconds. (One of my favorite parts is watching Joy's face)

Fun times in the Tittle house.

2009-01-15T16:43:00.003-06:00

Other than Claira trying to walk (she took her first little step last night), alot has been going on in the Tittle family. We have returned from 20 days of traveling during Christmas. It feels so good to be home. I didn't realize home much I love being home, in a routine.
As soon as we got home, we decided the Claira's pacifier (a.k.a. "the plug") was going to be only for bed times. I was looking at all the pictures from Christmas and realized that in 75% of them that thing was in her mouth. It was time for it to go. She's only 8 1/2 months old so I don't think it has to be completely gone, but I was tired of it falling on the floor in restaurants and other places and having to keep up with which ones in the diaper bag were clean or dirty. Four days and she's going fine. I do have to listen to here whine a little more instead of plugging her up, but it doesn't seem to be bothering her at all. We get to see her smile more and talk alot more too.
Her new favorite thing to say is "uh-oh". It's so cute. She fell today and instead of crying, she looked up at me and said "uh-oh".
Claira got a ball pit for Christmas and has become a little obsessed with it. She loves playing with balls and is trying really hard to say "ball".
She has also decided that she is too big for baby food. She refused to eat anything I gave her on a spoon. So, we are done! No more making baby food for me and I am very excited about it.
Ok, to end on a funny note. Last night Brandon had a worship leaders meeting after church. So I was left to do Claira's bedtime routine by myself (which is normally not that big of a deal). But last night was different. I put Claira in the tub and was playing peak-a-boo with her. Claira made a familiar sound and then I heard a noise I had never heard before..... Claira pooped in the tub! She has never done that before (in fact we laughed at our friends Mitch and Katie when their little girl did it when we were together over the break). I picked Claira up and stood her beside the tub while I unplugged the tub...... one problem, our tub is clogged and takes forever to drain. In the meantime, Claira pooped some more on the floor. What a night! I pick her up, towel, wash clothe, shampoo, and soap and head to the kitchen to bathe her in the sink. Holding naked baby in one hand, I clean out the sink and fill it with water. Claira is too tall for the sink! She can't sit down because her legs are too long. We used to bathe her in the sink all the time but it's been a while. So I hurried to bathe her (since her new favorite thing to do is rub her food covered hands in her hair, bathing is a must). She stood up in the sink while I washed her off. It was pretty funny.
Sorry this was so long, just thought I should share some of the recent fun times of the Tittle house. I smell a dirty diaper, got to go.

Claira wants to walk.

2009-01-12T09:34:00.003-06:00

Claira is trying so hard to walk. She tries to take a step and falls flat on her face. Today the falling resulted in a busted lip- blood everywhere. Of course, in true Claira form, it only took her a few seconds to get over it, she pulled back up and started all over again. Pray that she starts walking soon, I'm tired of the tears.

Here is a short video of her "walking" with the help of a toy. She gets so excited.

Camera Challenge

2008-12-15T19:46:00.008-06:00

For this to make sense, please go read my sister's blog.

Joy and I do not have a DSLR camera, but I wanted to see if I could do it anyway. We have a Kodak Easyshare Z710. The results show two things. First, you can still do cool things without a DSLR. Second, you can see why DSLRs are worth their price.

The only part I was not able to do is f22. My camera only goes to f8.0. I was able to set all the other settings like my sister wrote.

Here is our Christmas tree. We refer to it as our Charlie Brown tree. We bought this tree our first Christmas together. One day we will get a bigger tree, but we love this tree because of the great memories we associate with it.

Go read my sister's instructions and post your results.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-08T10:10:00.003-06:00

Last night we went to the live nativity scene at the Assembly of God here in Searcy. While you are waiting in line to drive through it, they have big screens on the side of the church building with Christmas trivia and Christmas movie clips playing. You set your radio to a specific station and get the audio for the video screens (how cool is that!). We got Claira out of her carseat and she sat in my lap and watched the screen and played with all the buttons on the dashboard of the car. They also come by your window with hot chocolate.
We drove through Bethlehem and Claira stared out the window at all the people and animals moving around. They also give you a CD to narrate as you drive through. We listened to the CD and I commentated for Claira on everything that was going on. Pointed out the camels, tax collector, Herod sitting on his throne, the pregnant Mary with no room in the Inn, wise men, shepherds and then baby Jesus. I know it may not sound like that big of a deal but as a new mom it was huge. I get to tell my little girl all about Jesus!! It's my number one responsibility and I haven't been doing that great of a job so far. I can't wait until she can understand all that He is and what He has done for us.
I am so thankful HE is our King!

All you need is a box.

2008-11-21T09:51:00.003-06:00

Claira and Carter have been playing with the box that the diapers came in all week. They have beaten on it like a drum, climbed in it, pushed it around the house, put things in it and dumped it out on their heads. It's been pretty funny. I think I am going to take all of Claira's Christmas presents back and just get her some more boxes. Why do we waste so much money on toys?

Happy Friday!

She's growing.

2008-11-09T17:19:00.002-06:00

Claira at one month.

Claira today- 6 1/2 months.

I love Fall!

2008-11-08T14:33:00.005-06:00

I don't know why it has taken me this long to realize how much I love this season of the year.

I started to realize it last year, I was pregnant and had a huge craving for Thanksgiving food. I'm not sure how many times I made Brandon eat turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. I even helped serve the Thanksgiving meal in the school cafeteria so I could eat it for free! There is a restaurant in Searcy that serves this meal for the entire fall! I thought it was just a pregnancy thing... nope- I've already started craving it.

I love the beautiful falling leaves, the cool air (Claira loves the cool breeze- she laughed all the way from the car into Walmart today), long sleeved t-shirts, pumpkins, trick-or-treating (Claira slept the whole time in her stroller), mums, sleeping under a big heavy blanket, not turning on the AC/Heat, a crock pot full of chili, cuddling on the couch and watching football (Roll Tide!).

Hope you have a pumpkin pie filled weekend!

6 months on Wednesday!

2008-10-19T20:06:00.005-05:00

I can't believe our little girl will be 6 months old this week. Oh, how time flies. Brandon and I have been thinking back to the day she was born and how fast our life changed and how great it is now. We are blessed far beyond what we deserve.
My top 6:
1. The way she wakes up in the morning- talking, smiling and now bouncing in the bed.
2. The fact that she said "MaMa" this past week!
3. The way she laughs- especially at Carter when the two of them are "talking" to each other.
4. The noises she makes when she is done drinking her bottle before she goes to bed.
5. Her dimples and the giant smile that comes with them.
6.The way her face lit up when she saw me today after Bible class.

Yesterday, we went to the pumpkin patch with Ben, Amy, Carter, Christy and Collin. Christy is becoming an amazing photographer. I am so glad we live close to family, especially when they take great pictures of my child.

Happy Fall!

2008-10-06T09:59:00.003-05:00

Claira update on the past few weeks:
Grammy (and then Pa) came to visit.
Went to Atlanta to see Nonna, Papa and the rest of the Ellis family.
Tittle family progressive dinner.
Got her first two teeth in three days. (Lots of crying)
Went to her first Harding football game and tailgate party.
Slept all night- three nights in a row!
Started scooting all over the place (not crawling yet, but she can get where she wants to go).

Hanging with Grammy.

Loving on Pa.

Working on her second tooth.

Roll Tide with Nonna and Cousin Owen.

Enjoying the Bison football game.

I was afraid of this.

2008-09-17T13:25:00.004-05:00

Well, it happened. Something I have been trying to avoid for almost 5 months now. Yes, it is gross but I thought I would share. Claira spit up in my mouth. I was holding her over my head looking up at her, she was smiling and laughing and out it came. I tried to dodge but it came too fast. It was awful. I was screaming (scared Claira half to death) and Brandon came running in. Unaware that it was in my mouth he did what we always do when one of us gets spit up on- he got a burp cloth and tried to clean me and Claira off. I was screaming- "Take her, it's in my mouth!!!" It was disgusting but also hilarious. You should have been there.

And in the latest Claira news:
She has figured out how to scoot around on the floor in the past two days. She is everywhere- ate the corner off of a book while I was putting clothes away in her room. She has also figured out how to push off with her feet when she is laying in the bed. She wakes up screaming because her head is rammed up on the bars of the crib. No, it doesn't matter how far down on the other end I put her. And today she turned completely around in the crib and rolled over. I don't even know how she had room to do all of that. She is pretty excited about her mobility. I think she will be crawling real soon. I'm not sure if I am ready to have her mobile- I think she will stay at my feet all the time. Oh well, here it comes.

And in Tittle family news:
Brandon's mom is flying in today to stay for a few weeks and help keep Carter while Ben and Amy go on a trip. I am so excited about having her here and having an adult to hang out with during the day. We are also going to Atlanta this weekend to see my family. I am super excited about getting out of town for a few days. I love where we live but I love to travel too. Claira will turn 5 months old while we are there. Crazy how time flies.

A couple pictures of our dimple face girl.

Brandon's Birthday.

2008-09-06T22:43:00.005-05:00

Brandon had an awesome Birthday. When I get as many gifts as he does, I think it's pretty great.

Brandon came home for lunch on Friday and had bought me a new CD I had really been wanting. (Never mind that it was TJ McLoud's new children's CD.)
Christy, Collin, Ben, Amy, Carter and Lloyd all came over for Brandon's birthday dinner. We made taco stack up and I made a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing. We had a great time and Lloyd brought his Wii over.
Then today, Brandon surprised me with a date. He had it all planned out and Ben and Amy took care of Claira. We went to Little Rock (stopped by the mall to check out the Gymboree sale). Next, we saw Batman on the IMAX. It was sooo good. Then, we went to dinner at P.F. Chang's (my favorite). On the way home we stopped by Krispie Kreme to get some donuts for us and Ben and Amy. It was a wonderful date. **

**Side note: In case you didn't know, we don't really have the money right now for such an evening out. A wonderful couple that we are close to gave Brandon some money and told him that he had to take me out with it and had to get a babysitter. As always, God keeps blessing us.

Happy 27th Birthday Brandon! (Yes, that's right 27... he thinks he's getting old).

Carter and Claira enjoying Brandon's party.

Cleaning my house.

2008-09-04T09:28:00.005-05:00

When Brandon and I first got married, I told him that as long as I was working I needed him to help out with keeping up with laundry and cleaning the house. I also told him that if I ever got to be a stay-at-home mom that I would take care of the laundry and cleaning. Well, easier said than done. I've made myself a cleaning & laundry schedule to help me stay on top of everything instead of spending my Saturday scrubbing the whole house. So far it is working wonderfully. One load of laundry plus one chore each day.

Sunday: Mop kitchen floor + load of whites
Monday: Hardwood floors + load of darks
Tuesday: Clean bathroom + load of bath mats
Wednesday: Dust & organize + load of reds
Thursday: Scrub kitchen + load of Claira's clothes
Friday: Make baby food + load of towels and rags
Saturday: Vacuum + load of sheets

I might be a little OCD but it makes me so happy that our house is clean and I never have 5 loads of laundry to do in one day. Don't know if this will help anyone else but it sure had made my life easier. I wish I had done this when I was still working- I hated Brandon and I spending Saturday morning cleaning.
Today I scrubbed the outside of my cabinets and stove. Last Thursday, I cleaned my oven and the week before that I cleaned out the frig and microwave. I might be the only one that notices that the cabinets are spotless but it sure does make me happy. I know I'm weird.

Our Christmas present being put to good use.

2008-08-30T20:48:00.000-05:00

This past Christmas, Brandon and I decided to not buy each other gifts but instead buy a video camera. With a baby on the way, it was something we really wanted to have. So, here is our first edited video of our little girl. No, we don't have too much time on our hands. This only took about 30 minutes to do. If you are surprised... you should get a Mac.

Life as I know it.

2008-08-28T14:06:00.000-05:00

Today, as I was elbow deep in dirt in the inside of my oven at 1:15p.m. on week day, made me realize that my life a year ago is very different from my life now.

August 28. 2007
6:15a.m. - wake up, get ready to go to work
6:45a.m.- eat breakfast with my husband, load dishwasher, switch laundry, etc.
7:25a.m.- go to work
7:35a.m.- greet precious children as they come in for school
8:15a.m.- elementary chapel
8:45a.m.- work on projects (anything a Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade teacher ask me to do)
10:45a.m.-set up in the cafeteria for lunch
11:00a.m.- try to manage a bunch of 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th graders while they eat
11:30a.m.- open ketchup packets, juice boxes, lunchables, etc. for K,1st and 2nd. (also wiping noses and chocolate covered faces)
12:00p.m.- answer the phone, take temperatures, wipe tears and put on bandaids in the office
12:30p.m.- eat lunch
1:00p.m.- work on more projects
3:00p.m.- attempt to get 300 children in the right car without being run over
3:45p.m.- go home and take a nap (remember I was pregnant at this point)
5:00p.m.- Brandon gets home from work and I might help him with dinner if I have the energy
7:00p.m.- doze in and out on the couch- waking up to talk to my husband every once in a while
10:30p.m.- Brandon wakes me up off the couch and I get in bed.

August 28, 2008
7:00a.m.- wake up by the sound of my little girl talking in her bed.
7:15a.m.- snuggle in the bed with Claira after Brandon gets her up and changes her diaper
7:30a.m.- take a shower and throw on a t-shirt and shorts (yes, I love not having to dress up)
8:00a.m.- Carter arrives, breakfast time- feeding two small children and myself at the same time
8:30a.m.- load two kids up and go to the children's consignment sale at the fairgrounds
9:45a.m.- get Carter out of the car, go back and get a sleeping Claira and diaper bag
10:00a.m.- play with Carter while Claira takes a nap , fold laundry and clean up after breakfast
11:15a.m.- give Claira a bottle when she wakes up from nap
11:45a.m.- start getting lunch ready, trying not to step on Carter who likes to follow me around
12:05p.m.- Brandon comes home and we all eat lunch (hiding the pizza from Carter while I feed him his veggies first), spray inside of oven so I can clean it during nap time
12:45p.m.- Carter goes down for a nap, talk to mom while Claira plays for a minute
1:00p.m.- Claira goes down for a nap
1:15p.m.- clean the nasty oven (not sure when it was cleaned last), switch laundry
2:00p.m.- talk to a friend on the phone who is also at home with her little girl
2:30p.m.- surf the internet, read blogs, check facebook, etc.
3:00p.m.- both kids get up from nap
3:15p.m.- snack time
3:30p.m.- give Claira a bottle
3:45p.m.- play with the kids on the floor, sing "If you're happy and you know it" more times than I can count
4:45p.m.- turn on baby einstein to relax before Carter goes home
5:10p.m- Brandon comes home, Carter goes home
5:45p.m.- start dinner
6:00p.m.- feed Claira
6:30p.m.- dinner
7:00p.m.- Claira is always cranky in the evening so we give her bath because it makes her happy
7:30p.m.- Claira has her last bottle
8:00p.m.- prayers and tucking Claira in
8:15p.m.- hanging out with my husband until we are too tired to hold our heads up (which sometimes doesn't take very long), pick up and clean bottles
3:00a.m.- wake up to Claira screaming because she is starving, feed and rock her back to sleep

Oh, how life has changed.

Blessed.

2008-08-26T12:55:00.000-05:00

I am blessed because I ......

Have a beautiful baby girl who wakes me up each morning with her smile,
An amazing husband who is making sure I can stay at home and take care of our daughter,
Great parents who have taught me that money is not what makes you happy,
In- Laws who raised a young boy into a Godly man and taught him the importance of family,
Sisters and Brothers (in-laws) who love on my child,
Precious niece and nephews that keep life fun,
Life-long friends that I know no matter where we are or how long it's been since we've talked- I can always call,
Most importantly a Father in Heaven who has given me all of the above.

Claira: a brief update.

2008-08-17T21:33:00.000-05:00

Claira had a big week.

She found her toes. (It might not seem like a big deal to you, but just imagine if you didn't know those things were attached for three whole months!)

Matthew and Cynthia Montana drove in to meet her. Matthew even let us put her in his lap for a picture (it was a big stretch for him).

And she ate her first bites of rice cereal. Our girl is an eater- it didn't take her very long to figure it out. I think she is so excited to finally feel full. She has been laughing and smiling alot more since we started the cereal.

Life in the Tittle house couldn't get any better. God is so good to us and we try to remember to thank him for all our blessings. Claira turns 4 months old on Thursday. We are thankful for each day we have to spend with her- she is the biggest blessing we could ever receive.

Just me and two small children: day 1.

2008-08-05T13:24:00.000-05:00

I am staying at home with Claira and not going back to work!!! I am super pumped about being able to be at home. We aren't exactly sure how we are going to make all the money stretch as far as we need it to but, we know God is going to help us make it work.
Amy and Ben are letting me keep Carter while they are at work and I am so thankful for it. Not only do I get to see my nephew every day but they are also paying me to do it.
Today is the first day and I was a little nervous about the thought of having a 3 month old and a 14 month old at the same time. I know Claira can't go anywhere if I lay her on the floor but Carter is walking all over the place. I know lots of moms have two small kids but it is just a new adventure for me. Today has been wonderful. Carter and Claira have both been angels and it just makes me so excited about all the fun we are going to have (especially when Claira gets older and can actually play with Carter).
Carter's favorite thing today is to pat Claira on the head (sometimes you have to remind him not to do it so hard) but, it is so sweet. He wants to know what she is doing and tries to give her toys to play with. Claira took a good nap this morning and Carter and I got to hang out and explore our house. He loves walking up and down our long hall.
Right now, I have two sleeping angels. I can't imagine doing anything better than this.
God is so good.

Claira's crazy beginning.

2008-08-01T14:35:00.000-05:00

A recap of Claira's first 17 weeks of life.

Week 1: Being born, coming home, lots of friends and family came to see her.
Week 2: Doctor's apt., Uplift meeting, Nonna stays to help out.
Week 3: Aunt Jessie & Uncle Taran come to visit, shopping in Little Rock and rolling over.
Week 4: 1st Sunday at church, Nonna & Papa go home, Uncle Jordan comes to visit.
Week 5: Baby blessing at church, went to the doctor with thrush and sucked her thumb.
Week 6: One month old, Grammy comes to visit and Cousin Carter's Birthday party.
Week 7: Slept through the night, Grammy went home.
Week 8:First plane ride to Houston, first Astros baseball game, meeting Aunt Kelly, Uncle Tyler and cousins Keynan and Parker.
Week 9: Uplift begins, Nonna & Papa come, spent the afternoon with Aunt Amy.
Week 10: 2 month shots, Grammy comes to visit, Uplift continues.
Week 11: Aunt Melissa, Cousins Ty and Emily come to visit, Uplift continues.
Week 12: 1st time swimming, 1st night away from Mom and Dad, Uplift ends.
Week 13: 1st trip to Atlanta to meet Aunt Melissa, Uncle Jay and Cousin Owen.
Week 14: Dad in Nicaragua, 1st time in the nursery at church, came home from Atlanta.
Week 15: 1st trip to Pensacola to meet Grandma and Gulf Shores to meet the rest of the family.1st time to the beach, ate sand!
Week 16: Spent the week with Nonna & Papa while Mom and Dad went on a cruise.
Week 17: 1st time to Stone Mountain park for family photos, home at last.

Claira has had a crazy and fun beginning- hopefully she won't get to bored just being at home with mom.

Home from Atlanta: Packing for Cruise.

2008-07-14T16:25:00.000-05:00

Claira and I spent this past week with my family in Atlanta while Brandon was in Nicaragua. It was the longest amount of time we have been apart since we were dating. I had a wonderful time but it was alot harder than I thought (just ask Kelly who I called crying one night). I have an amazing husband and I think I must have forgotten how awesome he is until he was gone. I am so thankful that I am not a single mom- I have so much more respect for those women who are. All that to say, I am glad to be home and glad my husband is home too but, we are once again packing our stuff.... this time to go on a cruise with Brandon's family. I have major mixed emotions right now. I am excited about our vacation and a little sad because Claira can't go with us. She is spending the week with my Mom, Dad and Grandma in Pensacola. So, pray for me as I leave my 12 week old for 5 nights.

Here are a few pictures of Claira in Atlanta- she is getting so big.

There is more than one way to watch fireworks.

2008-07-04T22:55:00.000-05:00

Claira and I flew into Atlanta today to spend the week with my family while Brandon is in Nicaragua. Who knew that there was more than one way to celebrate the 4th of July? I always thought it involved laying on a blanket with some good friends and good snacks watching LIVE fireworks. No sir, not today- I learned what people who drive a Mercedes (yes, we parked the old church van in the same lot) do for this special day.

My brother and his wife work at several different venues selling merchandise during concerts. Today they got us tickets to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's 4th of July show. (It was wonderful, just different than what I was thinking.) People came all dressed up and sat outside to hear the orchestra and watch fireworks on big screens. There were three different types of seating. 1. Tables and table clothes in the very front of the amphitheater for those people with the most money. 2. Seats under the amphitheater for the middle class people to sit. 3. The grassy hill that you could rent a lawn chair for $5 after paying $15 for the ticket to get in (this would be where we sat).

I think the best part of the whole evening was when the lady in front of us broke her lawn chair and fell to the ground. Everyone around us was laughing so hard- she just decided to stay on the ground with the broken chair under her until the orchestra was done with that piece. Jordan and I were both crying we were laughing so hard.

All that to say, I love the thought of live music during fireworks but we were all a little bummed that they fireworks weren't live. That's the best part.

Just thought I would share that I learned something new today- there is more than one way to watch fireworks.

Happy 4th!

Uplift Week 2: The Snellvile Army.

2008-06-26T00:23:00.000-05:00

Week 2 of Uplift is always wonderful. I have a group of ladies (and a few of their husbands) that come from the Snellville church to help me do whatever I need done. They are awesome! I just give them a list and I don't have to worry about a thing- registration, t-shirts, Uplift Central, snacks for the counselors, sitting with Claira when I had to do something, filling out annoying dorm forms, mowing our yard(Brandon really doesn't have time for that right now)... the list could go on forever. They come in a day early and get it all done and then today, they helped get stuff ready for next week before they leave in the morning. If only I could convince them to stay for three weeks.
Just wanted to say thanks to my Snellville Army for spending their vacation time helping me make week 2 a wonderful experience for about 900 teens.

Uplift week 1: God is good.

2008-06-17T21:01:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know, Uplift is a summer youth camp at Harding that Brandon runs and I help out with. There are three weeks of camp, the first two have over 1000 people each and the third week is around 500. Needless to say, it's a crazy time of year for us and we just added a baby into the mix (another ball to try to juggle). I was really worried about how we were going to get everything done while at the same time tending to our little girl's needs. I can only say that God is good and as always, knows how much we can handle. The two days before camp started were a little rough- there is just so much to do and I hadn't figured out how to fit Claira into all of that stuff. Since camp started she has been fabulous. She has been carted around all over this campus and even slept through an entire Acappella concert all with a smile (and dimples) on her face. Last night she slept for 8 1/2 hours!!!! It was a first and I was very thankful for it. I even got her up out of her bed, went to Taco Bell and back and she never opened her eyes. God has blessed us so much with an incredible life where we get to spend our summers watching teenagers grow closer in their walk with Him- and now we get to share that life with our precious 8 week old. God is so good.

So, while I was writing this, Brandon was baptizing an Uplift camper. She came with a group that didn't have any male sponsors and told Brandon she was ready if someone would baptize her. Brandon jumped in and baptized Sydney into Christ. Once again.... God is so good!

The Astros and an Angel.

2008-06-08T13:09:00.000-05:00

Friday we went with a group from Harding on a recruiting trip to the Houston Astros game. I was so worried about taking Claira on her first plane ride, to her first baseball game, to a whole day of never getting to lay in a bed. She was an angel the whole time. The only time she cried was when she was starving (I couldn't stop to feed her one time for an hour after she was suppose to eat and she didn't cry until a few minutes before we could sit down), worn out, or dirty diaper. I was so thankful for our new sling. She loves being close to mom and getting to see everything going on while we walk around. She fell asleep in the sling for most of the Harding event before the game. Our friends Tyler and Kelly Wiggains met up with us and spent the night with us in the hotel. It was so great to see them and their adorable boys, Keynan and Parker. We had a great time- I think I worried for nothing.
Claira is such an angel. The angel is very happy to be home in her own bed. She has slept most of the morning and when she is awake, she won't stop smiling.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! 5 days until Uplift starts!!!!

Claira's first flight.

Claira and Mom on the plane.

Tyler, Brandon and their babies.

Tyler & Kelly at the game.

Claira's first baseball game.
She was really enjoying the game.

The happy girl back at home
and in her bumbo for the first time.

Three Years.

2008-05-28T10:28:00.000-05:00

Just a few things have happened in the past three years (most of which I never dreamed would happen).

We got married.
I gained an incredible second family.
Brandon got his masters.
I worked for Student Publications (after getting my youth ministry degree).
Brandon got hired full time by Church and Family.
We bought a house.
I started working at Harding Academy.
We went to Nicaragua several times.
Three new nephews were born.
We bought a new car.
Took several trips (New York, Colorado, Gulf Shores, New Mexico, Atlanta, St. Louis, Houston, etc.)
We still live in Searcy,AR.
We became parents!!

Brandon and I have been so blessed these past three years. I can't believe what all God has allowed us as a married couple to do. He has given us more than I could have ever imagined. I woke up this morning to the sound of birds singing outside my window, to a little girl cooing in the bassinet, to my husband saying Happy Anniversary. I don't think life could get any sweeter.
Hope your day is a blessed one.

Christmas 2007 in New Mexico

Bringing our baby girl home from the hospital.

Our biggest blessing- 1 month old.

Monday morning 9 a.m.

2008-05-19T11:48:00.000-05:00

Claira with Great, Great Aunt Nancy and Uncle Harold

I haven't been up and showered by 9 a.m. since Claira was born. Even on Sundays we have been going to late service.
Today was a big day. Claira fell back to sleep (after playing with her daddy for a while this morning) in her swing while Brandon and I ate a bowl of cereal. She was still asleep when we finished so I decided to go ahead and take a shower instead of getting back in the bed. The Lord was taking care of me this morning because not 10 minutes after I was dressed I heard Brandon talking to someone in the driveway as he was leaving for work. The voices sounded very familiar but I couldn't figure out who it was. Who else would stop by our house at 9a.m. on Monday morning but my wonderful Great-Aunt Nancy and Uncle Harold who live in Mississippi. They were on their way to visit their daughter and her kids and put our address in their GPS and decided to stop by and meet their Great, Great Niece. I was so thankful I had already had a shower (mind you I still hadn't brushed my wet head) and that Ben, Amy and Carter had come over for dinner the night before so the house was somewhat picked up.

What a wonderful surprise for a Monday morning. Claira is so blessed to have so many family members who love her so much. Her Grammy (Brandon's mom) is coming to stay for a whole week on Wednesday and she is super excited about it. (Okay, she didn't tell me she was super excited about Grammy coming but when I told her that Grammy was coming she gave me a big smile- she knows who is important). We like to say she is "advanced".

9lbs. 12oz.!!!

2008-05-14T10:20:00.000-05:00

Yes, you read it right. Claira has gained 1lb. 5oz. in three weeks. She is growing and changing so much every day. Every parent you meet will tell you to cherish each moment because they change so fast- but I never thought they meant this fast. I took her to the doctor yesterday because she has thrush on her tongue. When the nurse put her on the scale I freaked out (she was also peeing all over the scale, the floor and me). It was pretty funny. So sorry for the lack of updates- watching her grow is taking up alot more time than I thought. Here are a few pictures of our beautiful girl.

Claira - 1 week

2008-04-29T08:50:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but Claira is already 1 week old. This past week has flown by. Here are some pictures of her one week later. We bought this bear for her at FAO Schwarz in New York City. Enjoy...

This was our first time playing the piano together

We just thought this was a cool picture.

Welcome Claira!

2008-04-24T09:34:00.000-05:00

From what I hear, most of you have probably seen pictures of Claira on other places all over the internet. Thanks to our families for taking care of that. Here are Claira's first pictures as she came into the world....

Claira Susan Tittle was born at 3:33 pm on Monday, April 21, 2008. She weighed 8lbs 7oz and was 21 1/4 inches long.

Thanks for everyone who was praying for us over the past couple of days and 9 months. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers.

New pics

2008-04-15T13:33:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple updated nursery pictures. The bedding that my mom made finally arrived. We were very excited to get it, and it looks so good.

Now, we are just waiting on Claira to arrive. We can't wait to post picture of her when she gets here. Thanks so much for everyone's prayers and support, and thanks to Brandon's mom for the bedding.

Nursery Update

2008-04-02T08:29:00.001-05:00

We have finally finished most of the nursery! The carpet came in yesterday, so we were able to get it down and bring in the furniture. Here are a couple of pictures.

Thanks to Aaron Landry for the tree.

Thank you Aunt Jessie for the letters!

Video from Spring Sing Weekend

2008-03-31T11:51:00.000-05:00

We got our new video camera the same weekend that the Wiggains family came to visit. So, we got to play with it a little bit. Here is a video from the weekend. As you will be able to see, it is pretty much all about Keynan. We got a little Parker in there as well, but it's mostly about Keynan.

We had such a great time with them, and we can't wait to see them again. Next time, we will have 3 kids to play with.

By the way, the song choice may seem odd, but we listened to it a lot over the weekend, so that's why it is there.

Happy Easter

2008-03-24T08:37:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was Easter, and in Searcy, AR that means it was Spring Sing. We had a great weekend with Tyler, Kelly, Keynan and Parker. We stayed up too late catching up, ate some Lenny's and Charley's with them, played with the kids, went to Spring Sing and hunted easter eggs with Keynan. We are very thankful for our friendship with them and for the time we got to spend together this weekend.

Joy's brother Jordan stopped by on his way home for spring break and on his way back to ACU. It was good to see him as well. We always love hanging out with him and hearing about all the things that God is doing in his life.

It's a little hard to believe that we have less than four weeks until Claira is here (well at least until her due date). We are getting close on the nursery. We have most of the furniture now and we are going to start on the wall decorations now.

We have a busy week coming up. We are interviewing Uplift counselors, and it looks like Brandon will be going to Tulsa on Friday. Here are a couple of updates on the nursery with the big bed gone and our new glider.

New Ultrasound

2008-03-14T13:13:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm not quite sure how, but Joy managed to convince our doctor that he needed to do another ultrasound yesterday at our appointment. So, we were able to get a new picture. Actually, this picture is nowhere near the best one he could have taken, but it was very cool to be able to see her and how much she has grown. He said that everything looks just like it's supposed to. She weighed about 5 lbs 4oz according to the machine. So, here is Claira at 34.5 weeks. Her head is on the right side, and she is facing down. That white line towards the top is her spinal cord.

We are babysitting for our former foster children this weekend so we will not get to do much work on the baby room. However, our good friends Tyler and Kelly, and their two boys are coming to visit next week (which we are very excited about), so we will for sure be done with the painting by then.

Nursery Update

2008-03-13T13:15:00.000-05:00

Here is the first update on our nursery. As you can see, we have a long way to go. Some of the walls have 2 primer coats and some just have 1. Hopefully this weekend we will pick out our paint colors. We have a general idea, but we haven't settled on the exact colors.

This is the part with 2 coats (except for the trim)

As you can see, this part just has one coat.
Hopefully the second coat will be finished tonight.

Hello Everybody

2008-03-12T11:42:00.001-05:00

We have decided that with the expected arrival of Claira, we had better join the blogging community so that everyone can stay up to date on what is going on. We are 39 days and counting. We are very excited about this gift from God we are about to receive.

Right now, we are working on getting the nursery ready. The painting started on Monday. We'll put some pictures up soon so you can see what it looks like.

This is one of our pictures of Claira. It is pretty old though. We haven't scanned a more recent one. I'll try to get on that.