First Braves Game.

Watching the game with Daddy.
In our seats.

Boys giving booyah!

Micah telling Jaxson that is a nike swoosh.

Sportin' his Chapel Hill hat.

Trying to get a decent picture.

Oh mom, kisses at the ballfield, really?

Jaxson looking cute.

Micah getting excited.

Family shot with Micah half asleep.

Last night Micah attended his first braves game. Thanks to the Wallace's he will never appreciate another one. We went with our friends who have tickets on about the 8th row behind home plate. So, needless to say we'll never be buying those tickets so he has no place to go from here but down. We all road in our car, surprisingly we all fit. The boys love riding together and Micah talked to Jaxson the whole way there and back. He loved the game and didn't understand why he couldn't go onto the field like he does at HIS ballfield. It was also weird sitting with Mick at a game. I'll have to admit it wasn't that different than sitting with Pops, Yikes! We didn't get home til real late so that was tough on Micah and me, quite frankly. But we had a great time and hope to take Micah again sometime soon. Of course I took way too many pictures so these are just for Jenny:)

for such a time as this...

trying to get a good picture as usual after the boys were tired and ...
so were we!

eating there lunch on the sit and spin.

For the last six months, I think, I have been doing a bible study series with one of my best friends, Taron. We have just finished the third of our studies. We have done three of the Beth Moore indepth Bible studies and really enjoyed them. This last one we finished today was on Esther. It was really neat to study a story that I thought I knew so well and learn so much about God and the Bible and the story of Esther all over again. I wanted to chronicle the things I have learned as well as the blessing of time spent over God's word with a friend so I am doing that here, skip it, if you want.

Esther is appointed to a role "for such a time as this..." and ends up doing exactly what God intended her to to, but in the most unlikely of ways. One thing that God has continued to speak over me through the study is that God is doing the same thing in so many believers lives including mine. Just because I think that He should heal my sister and restore our family doesn't mean that's how it's gonna be. It doesn't mean He doesn't care or that He isn't in control. In fact it just continues to prove that I, indeed, am NOT in control. And apparently I need to be reminded of that, like daily. I have been having a really hard time with the situation with my sister internally lately and am struggling with flashbacks from the really bad times of our relationship. I don't know why I am learning this lesson and having all these bad memories resurface at the same time, but I know it is part of God's plan and He will teach me something through it. Reading Esther's story has helped me come to know God's character more and to know that He will work things for His and my good, but that doesn't mean the way I neccesarily think it should happen.

Also I had wanted to start a bible study for forever and had actually tried a couple times but something always fell through. With my work schedule and wanting to be with Micah it seemed like it just wasn't going to happen. Then Taron and I became friends and it just naturally happened (or I forced her to). We hold each other accountable to do our study and then meet once every week or two to discuss the stuff we want to share. We do this all while the boys play. Most would find this crazy but I think for both of us it is just what works for us. We eat lunch together, let the boys swim, slipn'slide or play and talk about our lives and how God is teaching us through what we are studying. I am so thankful for this time with her and for the boys to have each other, and to see us studying and doing something important to us. When I remet Taron a while ago I definitely wouldn't have picked us to become fast friends and start studying the Bible together. When I saw her, I assumed she was a single mom(because her husband didn't come to gymnastics) and that she was wild...(because she had tattoos:).) But it just goes to show that things aren't always what they seem, and what God has planned is always best. I've told Taron that it is neat that we have become friends "for such a time as this..." to encourage one another and to have someone to be real with...that God sees fit not only to save us and change us but to bless us with families, friends and situations that help us know Him even more. Amen.

Happy Day Charlee Ray!

Climbing with Daddy, before long he was gone before Mick could catch up.
Cheese. Anytime Charlee had her picture made Micah thought we should take one of him too.

Jumping.

Best Friends.

Me and the birthday girl!(nice hat, Char Char)

Charlee's face after Micah kissed her!

Blowing out her candles.

Micah and his permanant playmate.

Charlee Ray with Mick Mick and Aunt Wenwe

Yesterday we went to Charlee Ray's 3rd Birthday Party at Jump 4 Joey's (or something like that). It was "like Monkey Joe's but better" is how Bay describes it. It had a lot more things and Micah had actually mastered how to do almost everything on his own. Which is definitely nice for me. Although not being able to do those things because you are pregnant makes it not near as much fun. When we used to take Micah alot I think Mick and I had more fun than he did. Charlee had a great time at her party and was just so cute. Micah loves her and she loves him too. He went to give her a birthday kiss and she just died laughing!!(see picture above) We are so thankful for Micah to have cousins that he can be so close with...Bay took him down a few slides herself and we can seriously not wait for our Florida Harper trip because they will love getting to spend that much time together. As this will be our last vacation with 3 kiddo's, next year we'll add one more princess to that mix...Lord help us. Happy Birthday Princess Charlee!

all grown up...

ok, not really grown up but we had some of the old softball girls over last night for a dinner and they are about to be juniors in college. It makes us feel old. These are the girls that were seniors when I was pregnant with Micah and were in the bible study I led. It is so fun to hang out with them...then and now. I used to tease them that they were much more fun than friends my age.(I'm only teasing friends:)) Which is because they have little responsibility and get to do whatever they want... They are all home for the summer for the first time and I am excited to get to hang out with them again. Micah was even more excited and loved being around them. They were so good with him and he ate it up. When he woke up this morning he wanted to know where they all went. They stayed after he went to bed so I think he expected them to be waiting to play when he woke up. I am so thankful for that season in my life of getting to know Mick's players I feel like those are the kids we will go to their weddings and still be around when they have babies. God is good like that. Now I have to focus on our kiddos more but I still love building relationships with his teams and their families.

29 and holding.

The bump.

This is how many pictures it takes to get one with Mick's eyes open.

and then I realize the lighting is bad in all but this one.

Great. Just Great.

nice face.

This is my last year to be in my 20's. Yesterday was my birthday and Mick and Micah were both very sweet to me. Micah bird and I had a fun morning working then my mom and Mick met us for lunch. I got lots of "Happy Birthday Mommy's" and thanks to Nana a date to top it off. Mick and I haven't really had any time alone since before baseball season so it was nice to do something on our own. Although the old we talked about our kid's the whole time did serve to be true. I got lots of cute gifts and I was so thankful for all of them. Although my favorite would have to be the recordable card with Micah saying "Happy Birthday Mommy!" Too sweet! Tonight I am going out with some of my best friends so Mick is really earning the brownie points now.

just a boy and his turtle

I took these this morning while Micah was watching Elmo. He loves his turtle and thought that they should sit arm in arm. This was the way they sat for about 30 minutes.

the days of summer.

Yesterday we went to church and then went to the pool right after. We went last week with Taron and Jaxson, but this is the first time Mick could go. This will be where we spend most of our time this summer I do believe. The pool is still relatively freezing but Micah didn't care. It took his breath away and I thoroughly enjoyed Mick freezing to death instead of me. It was also fun to watch Micah swim instead of him being right up on me. After that we had lunch and I got to go to Target alone. A gift in itself. Then dinner with Mick's family at my favorite; Longhorn's! Thanks Harper's! Just wanted to share these too cute pics of Micahbird.