Adoption Update

OUR HOMESTUDY HAS BEEN APPROVED!!!! Wa-hoo!! (It seemed like it took forever!) We now send off for 1 major form (the most important form to be able to adopt internationally). Other than that we will do our "family pages" and make copies of everything and then we'll be finished with all the paperwork. Even though we have completed about 97% of the paperwork, I still feel like we haven't gotten over the hurdle YET. I will be sooooo relieved when we turn in the dossier.

In other news...I took Norah Kate in for her recheck after her 3rd ear infection since Oct. 13. Well...it looks like both ears are still infected. That makes 4 consecutive ear infections with the last 2 being both ears. Hmmmmmmmm. We are trying 1 more antibiotic.

A great day

I have a Gideon Bible in my patient room at work and today as I entered the room on two different occasions, to see 2 different patients, I found each reading that Bible. I had not met either of these patient's before today, and really do not know much about them in general, but I do know that one of them is a professed Jehovah's Witness. All in all I wouldn't have considered today a very "good" day at work...I had a FULL load of patients (and one added on at the very end of the day that was somehow deleted from my schedule), there were several issues that had to be resolved, I felt like everything was taking a long time and that my patients were having to wait to long, and I didn't get ANY of my notes done. But because of what I walked into on those 2 occasions it was a great day.

"...so is my word...It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

21 months

I'd like to be able to start this post by explaining that we (I) have not posted recently because we were having so much fun making great family memories and relaxing by the fire with our soft music playing...but, yeah, THAT did happen! We have had a pretty busy fall since our last post. Most of the time, it seems, has been spent in a doctor's office. Between David and I having our physicals for the adoption and Norah Kate having her regular check-ups, flu shots, and THREE ear infections in 1 1/2 months - I am more and more thankful for health insurance. David and I have both celebrated our 29th birthdays and we enjoyed a great 5 day Thanksgiving break in Pocahontas with my side of the family. This past weekend we also got to spend some time with David's brothers and their families since they were all in Memphis for the St. Jude Half-Marathon. Ben (David's brother) and Julie (Jonathan's wife) both DOMINATED the half marathon. I'm not certain on how Ben's time compared to previous half-marathons, but Julie took off 9 mins (WA-HOO).

As far as the adoption goes...there hasn't been a whole lot accomplished since my last post (unfortunately). We did finish the remainder of our documents for the home study (verification of health insurance for the child, life insurance for us, shot record for the dog (yes, you read that correctly), etc.). We have been told that our home study write-up should have been completed this past weekend. I HOPE HOPE HOPE that was the case. It just really seems to drag on and on. I guess that is how it always seems when you are not in control of something yourself, huh?

And now for Miss Norah Kate! Today she is 21 months old! Unfortunately, health-wise, these haven't been her best few months. This girl just cannot get rid of the crud. She had her first ear infection in the middle of October and since then she has had 2 others (this last one was a double ear infection). I am really hoping that this antibiotic does the trick, but today she really complained when I tried to wash her ears during the bath. Good or not, I really would just like to ignore it and see if it goes away (haha!), but she is suppose to go in Friday anyway to have them rechecked. So we will see.

Otherwise she is just really coming along! She is 26 lb and I'm not sure about her height (maybe I can ask them to check it when we go in on Friday). She is a great eater (unless there is an undiagnosed ear infection), but mostly likes to "dip" anything she can in ketchup, bar-b-q sauce, etc. She will repeat any word she can, even though it isn't very clear. She has a first words book that we go through and last night she got all but 2 of them correct! I hear "Mama...Mama...Mama!" about 4 million times a day, but it hardly even gets on my nerves because i love her little accent. The other day I fell (that's another story) and she said "Mama! K?" (as if Mama? are you okay?) So sweet. Then when we were at my parents for Thanksgiving David had gotten up with her one morning and let me sleep. My sister told me that she said "Shh, Mama sleep." Haha!!!

Her spanish is improving as well, and there have been several times when I have thought, "I really just don't understand what she is trying to tell me." For example, the other night we were about to eat supper and she kept saying something over and over. I finally said "Baby, I don't know what you are saying," and about that time David walked in the room and said "She's saying 'pollo'" (chicken) I suspect we will have several moments like this.

She continues to be our little social butterfly. She has also started to pee pee on the potty, but is really not very consistent with it. We are not in any hurry and so we really don't push her. We are just asking her fairly often if she needs to potty and usually if she says yes then she means it. Nowadays she usually tells us "night, night" when she is ready to go to bed (about 8p or 8:30p) and many times she doesn't wake up until we are ready to walk out the door around 8am. She is running everywhere and thinks it is the coolest thing in the world. (we do to when she doesn't fall AND it makes her sleep better!) All in all she is doing great. So...We are looking forward to her excitement this Christmas!

BIG BIG NEWS

Well, this post is definitely a long time coming!!! David and I have some very exciting news to share...Carothers child #2 is coming!!!!!! But no...I'm not pregnant...we're ADOPTING!!! I really have to laugh a little when I think about that last statement, because if you asked me a year ago if this was on the radar I would never had said YES. So...here is our story:

David and I (individually) knew that we (each) wanted to adopt even before we were in college. David saw the reality of vast number of orphans throughout the world while growing up in Guatemala, and I had several family members/friends that had adopted children (or that were adopted). When we started dating more seriously and eventually began discussing this we found that we shared a common interest. Although, like others we have talked with, I think we both thought we would adopt someday after we had finished having biological children. As Christians we realize that we are called to care for/defend orphans. This is evident in verses such as James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress...," Isaiah 1:17 "...Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow," and Matthew 25:40 " ' I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' " Psalm 68:5 tells us that God exemplifies what he's called us to do "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." However, we feel that God has called David and I to go further in caring for orphans and ADOPT a child that He has specifically in mind for us.

Well, we had only lived in Jackson a month or so when David came to me one night and said "Hey, what do you think about going ahead and adopting a child?" My response: uhhhhhh (the thought really had not even crossed my mind at this point!!!). So, we prayed about it, but it seemed like the more we prayed about it, the more reasons God gave me (us) that this is what He has planned for our family at this time. (some of the more insignificant, but encouraging included: I really had no desire to be pregnant again, but yet didn't want to wait too long before having a sibling before Norah Kate; I really wasnt able to take a full maternity leave since I had not been at my job long AND I don't receive paid time off...) So...you see where this was going. In February David and I were very fortunate to be able to attend the Adopted for Life Conference in Kentucky. I would definitely say that each of us had already decided that we would for sure go ahead and adopt, but it was at this conference that we decided this was the plan for our family and that we would go with an international adoption. We discovered that with international adoptions it means that there is absolutely NO ONE in that country that wants to adopt that child...that is how they are allowed to be adopted into another country. We then began the process of choosing a country. The reality was that we needed a country where we could adopt a baby (we did not want to mess up birth order with Norah Kate) in a fairly short amount of time (because we still plan on having more biological children). We also preferred a country where only 1 short travel trip was required (again, due to my job and no paid time off). Our criteria brought us 2 countries: India and Ethiopia. When we looked into India further, we found that adoptive parents are required to be willing to accept a special needs child. This could be as small as low birth weight (leading to no further problems) or it could be more significant...such as debilitating cerebral palsy (just an example). This really wasn't an option for us since both David and I must work at this point. Even though I do only work part time, we didn't feel that it would be fair to the child or to the baby-sitter to put that responsibility to someone other than us (the parents). Therefore, we chose Ethiopia!!! ...then...new requirements were made that added a second trip for Ethiopia. So...we then found that Rwanda met our criteria.

In July, David and I applied with America World Adoption Agency (www.awaa.org) for the Rwanda program for a healthy baby age 0-12 months. It wasn't long after that we found out we had been ACCEPTED into the program. Yay!!! BUT...the girl said..."there is a little issue because even though it states you can receive a child as young as 1 month, we hardly ever see a Rwandan child adopted less than 17 months old!" Ugh. That could possible only be 6 months difference in Norah Kate and the age of the adopted child. We just didn't think that would be good. So...we are back with Ethiopia!!! Yes, we will have to travel twice, but they are quick trips (1st trip 5-7 days and 2nd trip 3-5 days) and my employer has been more than helpful and has agreed that this will work out fine.

So... that is our story and here is the "Interval History" as I say in my medical notes. :) We finished our last homestudy visit tonight. We have MOST of our paperwork completed. It will probably take through the end of November until our homestudy is written up and everything is turned over to the agency to present to Ethiopia. Then...we wait. The earliest that we expect a child is May 2011. Although, any of you that know the adoption process you know that this could be far off in either direction. We expect to get a baby BOY...but again, this could change as well. :) We've found that adoption will make you a flexible person if you are not already!!

I know this is a LONG post, but we are more than excited about what is going on in our family and we want to share that with our friends and family. As you know, any adoption is an expensive process, and international adoption is no exception. Between the agency fees, homestudy/social worker fees, travel fees, and other (normal "getting ready for baby" fees) we estimate our total cost to be near (and hopefully not more than) $40,000. Yes...$40,000. We have been good about budgeting our money and using savings, but we've found the hardest part of the adoption is that there are certain times when a large amount of money is due and that money needs to be available. We have done well with our first few payments, but we are looking at having to make 2 trips to Ethiopia in the near future and so the travel fees will probably be outrageous. I am trying to gather some of our finances by selling Willow House products (formerly Southern Living at HOME) http://ncarothers.willowhouse.com If you are interested in helping us out in this way feel free to visit my website or to email me (willowhousenc@gmail.com) You don't have to live in Jackson to be a part of this. Others may simply want to make a donation and that would be much appreciated as well. Unfortunately these donations won't be tax deductible (our agency doesn't offer this service). We would also appreciate your prayers (above all else!!!). Now that we are getting closer in this process, and know that our child may already have been born, it is VERY difficult to think that our child my be in an orphanage right now. We also know that any child that we get will have already suffered a tragedy is his very young life. Please pray for the child's family and those taking care of him now. Please pray that we would, most importantly, be able to share with him the love that Jesus has for him and that, like the child, we are all orphans and adopted into Christ's family by His grace. I could go ON AND ON, but I think for now I will stop there. We will be keeping everyone updated throughout the remainder of the process and appreciate your love and concern for us.

18 month stats from over 600 miles away...

Norah Kate went for her 18 month check up last week & here are her stats:

weight: 24lb 8oz (50% percentile)
height: 33 inches (between 75-90% percentile)
head circ: 18.5 inches (between 50-75% percentile)

My little girl is getting so big! ...and tonight as I write this...I'm so far away from her!!! I am in Houston this week for an Oncology review. This is the longest I've ever been without seeing her and it is just as hard as I expected it to be. I am so ready to be home with her and my husband! Hopefully I've gained tons of insight this week and it will pay off!

Happy 18 month Birthday!!!

Our little lady is 18 months old today!!!

Norah Kate continues to be an amazing blessing to our lives. Everyday we are excited to see what new things she has learned: new words, new skills, etc. She is a very loving little girl and we get multiple hugs (especially on the legs) and kisses every day. I am so thankful for her friendly, outgoing spirit. She brings a smile to everyone she meets (and usually provides a wave and blows a kiss as well...haha!) She seems to be very confident and content in who she is and I recognize that this is from the Lord. Thank you God for our little gift!!!!!!!!

P.S. I'm also very thankful for Chula and her gentle spirit!!! HA HA HA!!!

July

It has been awhile!!! I am going to try to catch up with this post. I really do hate that it has been so long, but I have this thing about having to have pictures for every post. I just think it makes it more fun to look see...but I think I'm going to have to change my mindset so that I can post more. :) Anyway! July was filled with lots of fun. First of all, we went with my side of the family on our annual beach trip. This year we went to Destin and had a great time. I was wondering what Norah Kate was going to think of the beach...sand, etc, but I needed not worry...she LOVED it! She just squealed the first time we took her out to the ocean and kept trying to run into the water (don't worry, we never let go of her hands). I didn't take her down to the beach every day because it was a good little hike and HOT. Plus, I couldn't really just stick her in the float and leave her like I can in the pool. However, when we did take her down there she had a great time.

Here is Norah Kate at the pool. Notice the "bath toy" in her right hand. This is one of the best things I've ever bought. A family that I baby-sat for had a couple of bath toys at the pool one time and it gave me the idea of something she could play with. These were just a few dollars at Target and we have almost worn them out!!! I can put her in her float and place these around the edge and she has the best time...throwing, squirting, etc. You will see them again later in this post.

Norah Kate and her baby cousin, Lexie. Wearing the dresses that our cousin, Rachael, gave to them. So cute!

Norah Kate in the ocean...one of her favorite places. Oh! I almost forgot to mention that we saw NO OIL while we were there!

OK, here are the toys again! Another one of her favorite things to do was for David or me to hide/bury the toys and then she would dig to find them. She was really good at this and was covered in sand by the time we went inside.

Norah Kate in her beach chair

We really had a great time at the beach...but the fun wasn't over! The last weekend in July was spent in St. Louis. For those of you who don't know, my mom is a big Cardinals fan. Well, when Mother's Day rolled around my sister and I decided to do something a little different this year and buy tickets to a Cardinals game for her and my dad (for his Father's day). We had a great time. It was a short overnight trip, but it was well worth it. Saturday night we went to the Cardinals game. A friend from my home church had given Norah kate some hand-me-down clothes from her daughter and this Cardinals cheerleading uniform was it the stack. It is an 18 month outfit, but it fit her well-enough, and well, when else will she wear it?! I did have to take off the onesie under it because it was so hot.

Here is Norah Kate modeling her outfit...kind of. :) She actually had been running a temp and so I don't think the Tylenol had kicked in at this point.

Uh, yeah.

And, there's the Tylenol! Here is NK saying "cheese!"

Our family!

Norah Kate enjoyed cheering and dancing and clapping the WHOLE TIME! She learned how to say "Woo Woo!"

The next morning we went to Grant's Farm. I have been there before when I was younger, but I guess I didn't remember much about it. However, it was GREAT. I highly recommend this for young children. You do have to pay for parking, but there is no charge to get into the park. It is pretty laid back as well. You can really choose how much or how little you want to do. Norah Kate still wasn't feeling too great (side note: we never really figured out why...wondering if it was teething), but she perked up and we all had a great time.

Here is NK & Daddy...lookin' good in their shades!

Another Family pic

Norah Kate's first carousel...she hated it :) As soon as it started she cried and would not sit on the horse, so I just held her until we could get off. Oh well, maybe next time.

But she LOVED the mist! By the time we left this area she was SOAKED...I can't say I blame her. It was HOT...and I didn't really mind the mist either! Ha Ha!

The famous Clydesdales! They are H U G E! I wish I had a picture to compare, but they are much taller than my dad (6'4.5"). They are so beautiful. I wish we could have seen more up close.

Looking at the Clydesdales!

Well, we had a great time...I only wish it could have lasted longer. (As always!)

We were also excited to welcome our new niece into the world that same weekend.

Gracen Margaret Carothers was born July 31!!! We can't wait to meet her!

Otherwise, we are just staying busy as always. Norah Kate is 17 months old now. She is really talking (although most still isn't clear). She is saying several spanish words as well. So far, everything is going well, but I wonder how much longer I will be able to understand the spanish that she speaks!! Ha Ha!!

She loves to play with Chula and tell her "NO! Ula!" Chula is such a good sport.

NK is running now as well. I just can't believe how fast she is growing. I was getting out her fall clothes to wash the other day and they just looked so BIG. I love her little personality though, and I am proud of how she is really catching on and learning lots of things.

15 month check-up

Look at our little cheerleader! So, David dressed her this morning, and I did not see her until I picked her up from the baby-sitter's house. I just laughed and laughed. She was soooo proud of her little outfit! And...what outfit is complete without multiple, mismatched hairbows?! Ha!

Unfortunately I did change her before taking her to her 15 month doctor's visit. Oh well. :) It was a big day for NK. She had to switch to a new doctor since I recently took the new job. We needed a doctor at our clinic for insurance purposes...MUCH cheaper! But I really like the one we've chosen. She went to Union for her undergrad (honestly, that was a pretty big factor in my choice), and she is just so great with Norah Kate. However...NK had to get F O U R (yes, 4!) shots. I don't know what I was thinking, but when I added it up in my head I was thinking she was only getting 1 (MMR). But apparently she did not have 2 shots at her 1 year (because she was already getting 4 then), and so we had to make these up. Well, and then there is an updated Prevnar that she needed. Anyway...it was HORRIBLE...the worst shot experience yet. This poor nurse that was giving the shots was super slow (super SWEET, but SUPER slow)...and put each band-aid on in between each shot. And then NK kept trying to talk to us, saying "Ba Da Ba Ba Ba..." which sounded like she was trying to reason with us into not giving the next shot. THEN we she saw each shot she would shake her head "No" and try to talk even faster!!! Ugh...I just kept kissing her little face, but I really just had to close my eyes to keep from crying. I am just glad that is OVER.

So...here are her stats:

Weight: 21lb 12oz (25%)

Height: 30 inches (50%)

Head circumference: 43cm (50%)

Everything looked great and we will head back at 18 months!

...Now I'm going to go recover. :)

Chula's 5 year stats

Yes, this is a post about my dog. :) I always try to document Norah Kate's progress with her doctor's appointments, and thought I should do the same for Chula (don't worry, this is a one-time thing). Chula went for her first visit at a vet here in Jackson. We found him to be very nice and we are very pleased. So, here goes:

Weight: 89 lbs!!!!!!! She is one big mama! I found her summary sheet from her first ever vet visit when she was 2 months old and she then weighed 18.1 lbs. What a difference! We knew she was going to be big...but not that big! :) Funny thing is...it is all muscle (and substance); no extra fat!

Yearly Tests: all were negative, yeah! Way to go Frontline and Heartgard!

Vaccines: check! & we have a new Madison County rabies tag.

Allergies: Our vet said she looks good! Wow, I was SO THRILLED with this news! After multiple antihistamines, antibiotics, antifungals, 1 allergy testing (and opting out of a 2nd), 2 rounds of allergy shots and 2 hematoma (ear) repairs...maybe, just MAYBE, we might be on the right track! Now, don't get me wrong, she still licks her paws somewhat, but he said that for a dog with allergies she really looks great. She has none of the ear symptoms that she has had previously (for years), and he also said that most times if you get a dog with allergies to not lick AT ALL then you've probably gone too far. Oh what a relief!

So, here's to you, Chula!!! :) We love you and you are such a good pet to our family!

A few things that slipped my mind...

As I was looking through some pictures, I came across several of these and couldn't believe that I forgot to post about them!!!! So, here goes!!!

May 8, 2010 was a wonderful day. I got to meet up with 2 of my BEST friends and spend a nice evening in Memphis. J.J., Ashley and I have known each other since we were babies...our parents were friends even before we were born. We first attending preschool together at "Country Kids" and stuck together all through school and graduated in 2000 from Pocahontas High School! Talk about having someone that knows you better than you know yourself! I am sooooo thankful for these ladies, and I was so excited when Ashley called back in February to see if I was up for this little get-together. OF COURSE I WAS!!! With these girls I feel like I can completely be myself. They are sisters to me in the truest sense of the word, and I thank my God every time I remember them (Phil 1:3). So...we began our evening with a trip to Rendezvous.

Here are Ashley & J.J. at the resturant. (I should have had someone take a picture of the 3 of us...oh well)

AND THEN...It was on to the Norah Jones concert!!! As many of you know, NJ is my

F A V O R I T E !!! The concert was...Heavenly. :) It really was a great concert. She rearranged several of her songs, but she really put on a wonderful show. Ahhh, I could listen to her for hours and hours.

The next day was my 2nd Mothers' Day. Look at sweet Norah Kate...Love that face. :)

What a wonderful mothers' day gift!

Here is NK with my mom on Mothers' Day...so cute!!!

Well, I hope you enjoyed the pictures that were almost forgotten! :) I'd like to say a big "Happy 15 month Birthday" to my sweet Norah Kate...tomorrow that is!

We are back after a few weeks of craziness! David is healing well from his surgery. He is working SO HARD at his rehab. I know that he has a lot to go, but he really has come a LONG way already. He is down to using 1 crutch, and we are thinking that they will probably tell him he can do without that one beginning tomorrow (???). Anyway, we have had such a busy time with him recovering and not able to drive, and then he was out of town for 5 days, so Norah Kate and I were on our own! Is has been pretty difficult, but things are beginning to look up! Norah Kate seems more and more like a little girl and less like a baby each day I think. She is walking pretty good now. Lately she has been obsessed with wanting as many bows in her hair as she can get. Here are a few pictures. (There are 2 bows in the back that can't be seen in the pictures) Each time I would put one in she would clap her hands and say "ooooohh!" She looks so proud, huh? :)

On Memorial Day we were excited to be able to see our friends, Lance & Catherine, and their little girl, Elaina. Norah Kate and Elaina are 5 months apart, and just now able to really play together. I think they had a pretty good time. Norah Kate was so excited to take advantage of Elaina's new swingset! She wasn't so sure about the toddler swing we first tried...as you can tell...
But she LOVED the baby swing! I don't think she felt very secure in the other swing. Oh well. Look at that sweet face!
Elaina is a PRO at this toddler swing. So cute!
Well, we are looking forward to a GREAT summer!!! Right now we are trying to find a pool around here to visit...often! :) Hope that search ends quickly!

David's surgery

David is home and doing well!!!

His surgery really did go well today. It was a L O N G day though. We were told to be there at 6:00am for his surgery @ 7:00am. Well, they took him back @ 6:30am and @ 7:00am the screen showed he was in pre-op. Well...about 7:45a I started wondering why he was STILL in pre-op and about that time the "nurse liaison" came to introduce herself and made the comment that his surgery wasn't until 11:00am. So I interrupted her and said "Did you say his surgery wasn't until 11?!" Anyway, to make a long story short I ended up leaving, going to see my patients at the clinic, and returning and STILL had to wait on him. So, all in all David was at the surgery for 10 hours! But he is doing well and really his pain is very minimal. I hope this continues!!!!! Thank you for all the prayers and comments!

Baby Debut & 14 months!

WHAT A WEEK!!!!!!!

We have had 2 new nieces born this week! Kennedy Anne Carothers was born Monday morning, May 10 @ 9:30am. She was 7lb 7oz and was 19inches long. David was able to make a quick trip up to Nashville Monday night to see her, but it was just too much (& too fast) for Norah Kate and I to go. We look forward to seeing her next week!!!

Here is Miss Kennedy Anne with Uncle David...unfortunately she's getting the shaft on this post because we don't have many pictures of her yet.

Then last night @ 3:30am my sister had her baby girl, Lexie Catherine Williams. Lexie was 8lb 10oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. Here is Lexie seeing her momma for the first time!

1st Family picture!!! Lookin' good!

Look at that pudgy lip...pitiful!

Beautiful Mom and Baby!

Proud Daddy!

Norah Kate meeting her cousin for the first time and giving kisses

Mama Lynn with her granddaughters

Sweet cousins (I LOVE this picture!...don't worry...Norah Kate wasn't REALLY holding her) :)

Lexie and Auntie

Norah Kate got a little bored and thought up this idea on her own. I must say...she's pretty creative. As you can tell she thought this was very funny.

Don't worry though...our week's excitement hasn't ended yet! Friday morning David will be having surgery to repair his torn ACL and possible MCL tear. I really don't know what I am going to do with a 14 month old and a post-surgery husband who will probably be on lots of pain meds. So, I would appreciate any prayers you might could offer.

Since I probably won't have lots of time to post again I wanted to go ahead and include Norah Kate's 14 month update with this.

weight - 20 or 21 lbs (this was just done trying to stand her on our scale at home...might not be too accurate)

length...not sure and she's in bed so I can't find out right now :)

Nutrition - Anything and everything she can get her hands on!!! She has recently enjoyed being given a whole saltine cracker and holding it while she takes bites. She really does a good job.

Sleep - Usually from 8:30pm to 7:30 or 8:00am. She takes 2 naps most days and they are anywhere from 1-2 hours each.

Language - this is a trip! She can SIGN please, more, milk, and all-gone. She is understanding a lot of Spanish and can say "mas" and she has said "Hola" a couple of times. She is understanding English well and can say Chula, Mama, Dad...but only when she wants to. :)

Skills - WALKING...she is doing pretty good, but this is still mostly an on-and-off thing. She can also get down from the couch or chair by laying on her stomach and scooting off. She is playing much more independently these days...which is so nice :) She continues to give kisses, blow kisses, and she recently started giving "real" hugs (they are the BEST!!!). She can nod and shake her head as well to answer questions.

Well, I think that is about everything! Hopefully it won't be another month before I get on here! :) Goodnight!

Anniversary Date

David planned a WONDERFUL 5th anniversary date! When I (finally) got home from work Friday, he had surprised me by picking up the house and having 5 dozen Red roses waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He also got me a gift certificate for a manicure/pedicure!! It is much appreciated...and much needed! Ha Ha!

Here are the first 3 dozen roses...

...and the other 2 dozen that he put by my side of the bed. Beautiful!

He arranged all the details for us to go to Memphis and eat at Texas de Brazil...YUM!

AND to then go to the Cheesecake Corner for dessert!!! So, I don't know how we always forget that our anniversary weekend is (almost always) Musicfest for Memphis in May. Well, we decided during dinner that it would probably be wise to either walk or take the trolley to the Cheesecake corner instead of trying to drive. So...here is David waiting on the trolley. *Side note: we lived in Memphis for 5 1/2 years and this was our FIRST time on the trolley!

Anyway, the trolley was taking a long time for the direction we wanted to go, so we ended up walking. Ugh...me in high heels. So now I have 2 pretty nice blisters, but it was SO WORTH IT! We did take the trolley back though. :)

I hate that we didn't get a picture at the Cheesecake Corner, but oh well. It was a beautiful night...perfect weather and the perfect temperature. 5 years seems to have flown by, but after all the excitement that God has brought us through, I am ecstatic to see how the next 5...or 50 go! I didn't know marriage could be this good.