Steven's Wild First Birthday Party!

The funnest birthday party of the year!  We had a blast celebrating my nephew Steven's first year of life at Grant Park.  He and Ace are a year and about 12 hours apart and we love that they're close enough to grow up as buddies!  Deanna and Chad did a fab job (i know Chad worked really hard getting those animal cupcakes just right)!

Never Settle...

Brother, you're 30.  I think it's a good number for you.  You know, in case you were wondering.  You have always strived for the best.  In everything.  I so admire that in you...you are more of an inspiration than you know...well, actually, you probably do know.  I'd say you're pretty self-assured and realistic...

Lover of the Best Wife and the Best Dog (still can't believe you are a dog-lover, well Kansas at least)

Family...

Your Boys...

And golf...

Fun and Genuine...

You are an amazing person and I am so proud to call you my brother and have you as a friend. I absolutely love what you wrote a few years ago (yes, I got it off of Facebook). If anything could capture you in a nutshell, it would be this:

"Donald Miller in his book Blue Like Jazz states that "What I believe is not what I say I believe; what I believe is what I do." So in light of this new look on BELIEF, I am not sure that all of these things are what i do, but maybe just what i am aspiring to do, so in turn one day truly believe."

"I believe in Jesus Christ, in force balks and delay steals when runners are on 1st and 3rd. I believe in improving your lie in the fairway and the rough, and that we have been given every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3) so there is no need for us to ask God to bless us, He already has. I believe in pitching backwards, I believe that you really will use what you learned in math class. I believe in using mulligans and if the mulligan is worse than your first shot then it doesn't count and that God shows more power through allowing us to make our own decisions than he would if he controlled them. I believe that we all have a thirst and God longs to satisfy it. I believe there are good curveball hitters, but no one hits a good curveball. I believe that golf is the only game that you can play, but never win, and that Pro Wrestling is real(not really but just thought I would add that). I believe in being honest, in throwing sliders, in stealing home, and that through a relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way experience an eternal, abundant, and fulfilled life."

You're also pretty good at predicting things, I guess...I'll never bet against you.

Love you, Titus!  Happy Birthday! 

Visitors!

On my family's way home from Ohio after Christmas they stopped by our place for a quick visit.  Ace love, love, LOVES having people in his own space and it is so fun to watch!

Joy...

Our Abby...

"Joy, unspeakable joy...

An overflowing well, no tongue can tell

Joy, unspeakable joy

...Rises in my soul, never lets me go"  - Chris Tomlin

Your love is inspiring...

Your spirit infectious...

There is a fire in your soul and it shines through in all you do.  You have touched and continue to reach so many lives and make a difference everywhere you are and in everything you do.   You are beautiful, kind, a survivor, peace, you unite, astound, comfort, love love LOVE, have the heart of a child and the strength of a warrior.  My hero.  Compassion, passion, leader, humble.  A light that shines brighter with each passing year...refusing to let the trials and tribulations of life dim that light.  Your devotion to Christ and love for Him and His people never cease to amaze and inspire.  AND you forgave me for somehow forgetting to do this on your actual, Christmas Eve birthday before it ever happened.  I love you so much...Happy 22nd Birthday!!

P.S. You are the best Christmas present I've ever gotten!

Welcome, Sam!!

On Wednesday, my oldest brother and his beautiful wife celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary with the birth of their third child! Samuel Dylan Martin, aka "Sam" or "Chip," as his big brother and big sister refer to him, was born around sunrise and was 6 & 1/2 pounds.



Welcome sweet boy! We are crazy about you already!



The best big brother and best big sister!

J.A. Laub Photography

Disclaimer:  As if the two of you who read this didn't notice, I'm in a bit of a blogging slump.  Promise to take pictures over the next few weeks and post a lot to make up for my slacking as of late.

The last time we  had professional family pictures taken, Ace was 8 weeks old.  We really liked those pictures, but man oh MAN was I still a blimp, haha!  A couple weeks ago, we had our photos taken in our neighborhood by J.A. Laub Photography.  LOVE them!  Abby came to our house on her lunch break and got some precious shots!  We are so thankful to have found her!  We used several on our Christmas/New Year's cards (want one?  send me your address)! 

We adore these!

Thanksgiving 2009

This year, we got to have a meal with Mace's grandparents, parents, and brother, AND a lot of my family.  It's weird having less people than we used to, due to marriages and such, but it was special and wonderful to be with family just the same!  Hate that we didn't get to see the Floyds, but we are hoping to on our next trip to GA.   I took no pictures all day until dinner at my mom's...of course!

Mace drove from Kentucky Wednesday night and then had to go back Thursday after dinner...Thank you, babe for wearing yourself out and driving 12 + hours in 24 so that we could spend Thanksgiving with you!

in which we showcase the babe, foregoing our spotlight

at least Mace and I can be seen in this one...Ace was ready for Eebop's crescent rolls and Dede's carrots!

We had a LOT of great food...thanks everyone for cooking!  That was pretty much the first day Ace had eaten since Saturday because he had a horrible cough and nasty cold, and he pretty much ate his weight in cooked carrots and bread.  What?!  Oh, he did have a little ham, though.  So I guess he's not much of a holiday foodie...it was a fun and exhausting day!

For Eebop

Ace and I have been a bit under the weather, so it's taking me a little while to catch up on laundry, cleaning, picture-editing and blogging.

 I'd probably get things done a lot quicker if I wasn't always stopping to photograph this cutie.

I dry Ace's hair every night with a hair dryer and put product in it and this is how it turns out, on a good night.  My parents and siblings got a kick out of it.  

Here you go, Mom(aka Eebop)!

Savoring the Moment

We are still waiting to hear back about a job for Mace.  Please pray for us.  The waiting can be so difficult, and is often accompanied by feelings of "what the heck are we doing here, anyway?"  In the mean time, we are just gobbling up the time that we have together.

Anyone know where we go from here?