A Few New Pictures.

Happy Halloween! I'm an Owl.

Thanks Aunt Mattie!

I love sleeping on my

Daddy's strong chest.

My Dog Jack makes THE BEST
foot rest :)

I love having my morning coffee with Daddy

it really gives me a jump start on my day.

This is just me being cute.

Oh and I am holding weight on my legs.

I am getting stronger!

Fall Has Come

As I sit down to write this post it is 53 degrees outside and we have our heat on for the first time. I wasn't too excited about the cold weather coming this year because I was remembering what last fall was like, TERRIBLE. This time last year I was 2 months pregnant and feeling sick everyday. I would drag myself out of my warm cozy bed into the cold morning air to take Jack out to "shout" (go pee) and barely making it back to the house before throwing up the saltines I had just eaten. I remember trying to get myself bundled up and looking less like death to get to work by 7:30am. Trying to teach, entertain and discpline twelve 4 year olds all wanting to do pumpkin art RIGHT NOW! This involved paint and a lot of patience that I did not have at 8:30am when I was cold, cranky and on the verge of puking up the oatmeal I had forced down. As you can see last fall was rough.

Trying to forget what was a not so fun fall season last year .......

I am getting excited feeling the crisp fall air! I love fall sweaters,

baking sweet potato pies, my beautiful Mums, even raking leaves. I am looking forward to it ALL! YEA FOR FALL!

Visit With GREAT GREAT GRANDMA!!!

Here are a few pictures from our visit with Grandma Skipper.

Adalie's GREAT GREAT Grandma!

Memories From Grammie's House

Just Keep Swimming

Adalie had her first swim at Grandma Dorie's house

in Palm City, Florida last time we were home. She

really enjoyed it until she got hungry. We can't wait

to go back for another swim soon!

With a Heavy Heart.

Bart and Katie

Issac

This has been a year of many personal losses and beautiful blessings. The above pictures are of two of the four people I have lost this year. One of which is Issac who I only know through prayer and his Mother's blog. He was born on October 7th and was with his Mommy and Daddy for 16 minutes before Jesus welcomed him home. The other picture is of Bart, who was the Best Man at our wedding and his darling fiance Katie. He was killed last month. My dear friend Caroline lost her Husband Bill in February and my friend Laura lost her longtime love Sean in July. We also lost two pilots, Matthew and Bama in a jet crash at our base 6 months ago. I have also lost my family unit or what I once thought of as the "perfect family" when my parents divorced in December. Through all this God has blessed me beyond what I deserve with a sweet baby girl. A child I cannot imagine being more perfectly and wonderfully made. I see Jesus in her smile and her unconditional love everyday.

I don't question God's existence in the world or his plans. I am secure in who He is. I don't try to understand "why" or get mad at God for taking these loved ones. But I do find my heart becoming increasingly HEAVY between the hurt I feel for those that have lost and the loss I feel within myself, it is hard to feel JOY when people are hurting. We must press on through our hurt, God is bigger then the pain. His love for us is deep and vast. I have to trust that.

I must wake up every morning and be thankful for another day I get to spend with James and being Adalie's mommy. I must never take the blessings I have been given for granted. I must live a life pleasing to my Savior and I need to show HIS love to those that do not yet know him. I want to live a life I will not regret, especially on the day I meet Jesus.

This life is fleeting. It is not our home so don't get too comfortable! Love deeply, listen intently, live in the present moment and enjoy it!

Don't worry, let it be.

Meghan

Some of you may not like this....

As some of you may know we have been struggling with the pronunciation of Adalie's name since she was born. James has always been fond of A-duh-lee as the pronunciation where as I have liked A-duh-li more. Well, before her birth we decided to call her A-duh-lee but it seems as if this is a hard pronunciation for people to say and read. When people see her name spelled they most usually think the pronunciation is A-duh-li. When we introduce her as A-duh-lee people get a confused look and say, what? or Natalie? No, no, no it's A-duh-lee is what I am thinking in my head. It's been frustrating.

Well, after much discussion.... more than James would liked to have had :) We have decided to pronounce her name A-duh-li. This pronunciation seems to be easier for people to say and pronounce as it is read. Hopefully, you all will get use to the new pronunciation and grow to love it as we have.

~ The D's