Holiday Jammies

The girls cooperated and posed for some pictures by the tree in their holiday jammies. Cassidy is sporting Disney Princess and Lily is wearing - what else? - Elmo!

Happy Turkey Day!

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite day of the year. It is the one day every year when my entire family (except for my cousin Mark and his wife Wendy, who live in Florida) is together. Great-grandparents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins all under one roof in Chesapeake, Virginia, giving thanks for all our blessings and spending precious time together. My cousins and I have always been close, so it is wonderful to watch the special bonds that are developing between Cassidy and Lily and their cousins...all of whom are girls!

Testing out the sit-n-spin...I needed a bigger one!

Cassidy and cousin Samantha

Me and My Sisters - Jennifer, Me, Heather

Cousins - Jennifer, Me, Becky, Ashley, Heather


More Cousins - Alleigh, Katie, Samantha, Cassidy, Deaven

My Grandparents - They look good for 91, don't they?!?!

Alleigh and Cassidy at the girls' tea party

They were fast friends!

Playing with Gran

HIGHLIGHTS!!!

Here are some major highlights from today:

• Joey's twin brother, John, passed his National Boards. Congrats, John!!!
• My Mom passed her National Boards with flying colors! Seriously, she had the highest score of anyone I've ever known! And she TOTALLY deserved it - she worked harder than ANYONE in the history of National Boards! :)
• Lily pee-peed on the potty!!!! We haven't been potty training her, but she has been asking to go (ie. "Poo Poo potty, Mommy!"). We go, she sits, she pretends to push, we talk a little, and she gets down. She never actually goes, but I still take her because it's great that she's showing an interest on her own - I'm sure because she wants to be like Cassidy - and I certainly don't want to squelch her enthusiasm. Anyway, this morning she said she needed to go pee pee on the potty, so we went and sat and talked and all of a sudden she peed! I'm not sure she even knew it was coming because she looked a little surprised, but Cassidy and I cheered for her and did the pee pee dance and then called Daddy who cheered for her over the phone! She was so proud and I am taking this as an indicator that potty training is going to be a breeze! :)

FBC Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

Today, Cassidy's preschool held a Thanksgiving Feast for the 3-year old classes. The highlight of the feast was a performance by the kids. They sang 3 Thanksgiving songs wearing American Indian costumes. It was SO cute! Unfortunately, Lily got sick - first in Target while we were running errands, then in the parking lot at the preschool - so Joey missed the entire performance and I barely made it. I attempted to film it for Joey, but I am not good with the camera, so the result was very shaky. I need to practice before Christmas!!!

Cassidy - and all the kids - we SO proud to be up on the stage. Cassidy called and waved to us excitedly before and after the performance! She was so thrilled that we were there to see her - what a priceless moment!

"Hi, Mommy! I love you!" she called.

Listening to directions

She played with her hat the whole time, even pulling it over her eyes during the prayer...that was after she had told Austin and Wyatt to be quiet! :)

Waiting for lunch in her Indian headress

Cassidy with her teacher, Mrs. Laura. We could not have chosen a more wonderful person to be our daughter's teacher.

ECU Homecoming 2008

After battling stomach bugs last week, we were excited to be on the mend and heading to Greenville on Saturday for ECU's Homecoming. The girls enjoyed the parade, despite the rain, and then we strolled around campus and Joey and I showed the girls some of our favorite places on campus...like they care! :)

We dined on a picnic lunch at at table outside of Mendenhall Student Center and witnessed a squirrel eating a dead bird. Did anyone know that squirrels were carnivorous? I thought they just ate seeds and nuts and fruit, but it was definately a bird he was consuming...feathers were flying everywhere!

The sun was shining by kickoff and we all enjoyed the game, even though the four of us were squished into two seats and surrounded by Marshall fans! The girls were troopers and even endured overtime...Joey and I couldn't bare to leave even though I had told Cassidy that when the time clock said 0:00 we could go! The Pirates were victorious in the end and we were all exhausted when we finally rolled into the driveway at 10:00 that night.

Our little cheerleaders waiting for the parade to begin

Cassidy is such a good big sister. She really does take care of Lily and try to teach her new things...when she's not attacking her. Lily adores Cassidy and tries to do everything she does...she even has to take a drink at dinner at the same time as Cassidy. They are playing more and more together without Mommy and the cutest thing lately is that they both get upset when it's Lily's naptime or bedtime. Cassidy will say, "I want Lily to come and play with me. She doesn't need to nap." Lily will cry and call for "Cassidy" and "Sissy" as I take her upstairs as she reaches out her arms for her big sister.

Sitting on the porch of Fleming Hall where Joey and I met 12 years ago

Peeking and playing in the coupola

Staring at some poor student in Mendenhall who made the mistake of sitting near the windows to eat her lunch. "Hmmmm, I think what she's eating is better than what we have!" Hope she didn't want any privacy!

Cuddling with Daddy

Puppy kisses on the nose

Lily proudly showing her Sesame Street cup

What I Still Know to be True

Despite all the changes and challenges that we each face every day, I still know this to be true:

"...our sufficiency is of God." (II Corinthians 3:5)

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid..." (Isaiah 12:2)

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

"Nay in all these things we are more than conquerers through him that loved us." (Romans 8:37)

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (I Timothy 1:7)

"...for with God nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37)

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippeans 4:13)

"Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." (Ephesians 3:20)

How wonderful it is to know that I don't have to rely on my own abilities or those of my family, freinds, community, or government. God is my sufficiency, my all in all. It gives me great comfort and peace to know that I need nothing but Him, and as I keep my focus on Him and his Word my needs will be met "exceeding abundantly above" all that I could ask or think.

Trick-or-Treat

The girls had fun trick-or-treating this year. They both LOVED their costumes...Lily surprised me because she had refused to put on a costume only weeks before.

Belle and the Bumble Bee

They were very excited to be dressed up!

A rare photo of them both looking AND smiling at the camera

Cassidy demonstrating her Belle ballet spin

Lily on her way to get candy