Small cost, big result...

My love language is gifts. I was a little bummed when I figured it out because I thought it made me sound materialistic. The thing is that while I do love nice, pretty things, it does not take those things for me to feel loved. A very close second in the love language category for me is words of affirmation so I LOVE getting a card (gift) with a personal note in it (words of affirmation). You may wonder why I'm telling this on my blog. It is not a way for me to fish for presents and cards!!! :) I'm writing this because I have a husband who completely understands this about me. He took the kids to school this morning. When he got back, I went out to my van to leave and found this in the seat:

A Boberry biscuit (actually 2... one for me to have this morning and the other for tomorrow). I LOVE boberry biscuits. I got out my phone to call him, and he answered, "I see that smile on your face." He was spying on me from the office window. It made my day. It filled my love tank. It only cost him $1.83. Challenge: do something today for someone you love that seems insignficant to you but means the world to them.

Giving the left overs...

The kids came home from Nana's house Saturday, each with $10. I have no idea why... other than the fact that they probably said they wanted $10 so Nana gave them $10! Anyway, Andrew was all excited to go to Target and buy a Lego he had seen there for $9.95. I asked him if he had more money that he was going to take with him. He said, no, just his newly acquired $10.
I told him that he would have to save a little because he did not have enough for the Lego. Perplexed, he told me... the toy is $9.95 and I have $10! I explained that tax would add 85 cents to the cost but more than that, he did not have $10. He only has $9 because he is to give God $1 of that before he spends it on anything. He then said... "Oh I was going to give my offering. I was going to buy my Lego and then give what was left over." Oh my... Charles and I (after smothering a giggle) explained that God does not want or deserve our left overs. He requires that we give to Him the first of our fruits. But then as I pondered on this throughout the day, I wondered how often we do actually give Him our left overs without even realizing it. How often to I make time for everything and everyone and only spend time with God at the end of the day IF I still have time and am not too tired? How often to I pay all of my bills and THEN write my check to the church? God commands us give back to Him first. The truth is that He owns all of it yet we try to hang onto to all of it. He asks that we give freely with an open hand and He will pour out blessings.
The good that came through this spontaneous teachable moment is that as Charles was getting ready to cut the grass, Andrew went outside and asked if he could earn $2 for cutting the front yard! So, our yard work was done more quickly because the two of them worked together, and Andrew now had $12.00 which was enough to give his $1.20in tithe and have enough to buy the desired Lego! Not to mention, I had a sobering conviction to make sure that I always strive to give to God first and surrender all to Him for His control.

Summer Happenings...

I really can't believe that I take so long to update my blog. You would think that I would be a great blogger considering I love to journal. I have journals (aka diaries) from when I was a kid. They are so funny to ready now... oh, the things that were so life shattering back then!!! :) I also have journals for each of my children that I started when I was pregnant with each of them. I write their milestones, funny sayings and just notes of love to them. I plan to give it to each of them when they are adults. But for some reason... the blogging is such a chore to me. I guess I feel like the post is not complete without a picture and that means I need to plug my camara in and download pictures....
Well, we have had a nice summer. I can't believe that we are already printing school supply lists and getting ready for another school year! In June, we went to our annual vacation spot, Elijah Clark State Park, and stayed in a cabin for a week. It is named "June Fishing" because Andrew named it that when he was little and only knew that we went fishing somewhere every June!
Samuel is 15 1/2 months old and STILL NOT WALKING. Well, I guess I should say that he can walk if someone is holding one of his hands but has only taken about 5 steps at a time all by himself. The doc seems to think that his equillibrium might have been off during all of his ear problems, and now that we have that fixed, he is old enough to be cautious! We shall see... I hope he is not the only 1st grader crawling around the playground!!!
Charles has been serving as interim pastor at Calvary Baptist Church. He has such a servant's heart. Please pray with us that God will give us clear direction about how He is leading us to serve in ministry.
Rebecca has been busy practicing for the school JV Volleyball team. I am still trying to accept the fact that I will have a middle schooler in a few weeks!
Andrew is still our soccer star but wants to give baseball a try. So... come spring, we'll be putting our net and soccer ball aside for a few months and grabbing a bat and ball.
Charles and I celebrate 15 years of marriage in September so we are trying to plan a cruise. We are so looking forward to getting away together since we haven't had a chance to do so since Samuel arrived.
well.... I guess that about sums up the Weeks for now. Hope everyone is enjoying our wonderfully hot summer!!!

Her Royal Highness, Princess Rebecca of Charleston

Of course, the buzz this entire week has been about the Royal Wedding. I enjoyed watching the news as we led up this this day; however, I didn't have plans to get up at the crack of dawn to view it live. I thought I would DVR it or catch one of the many replays. In fact, most of my thoughts surrounded around how sad it was that their life was so public without being able to go anywhere without a zillion photographers!
Well, last night, Rebecca surprised me by asking if she could get up and watch the wedding! If you know her, you know that getting up early for anything is not usually on her agenda. So I decided that I would indeed set the alarm and share this special event with her. I asked Andrew if he was interested in watching... he was not, in fact thought it was dumb that we were getting up early to watch a "boring" wedding in another country!!! :)
My alarm went off at 5:20. I went and got her, and we watched history unfold snuggled under the covers. She talked, giggled, asked questions, critiqued the styles and clothes. It was so much fun to watch from her fairy tale view point and for a few minutes, set aside the reality of the life that Princess Katherine (aka Duchess of Cambridge) is about to begin.
Charles, a secret romantic at heart, was up studying and joined us about 1/2 way into it. Andrew jumped in the bed around 6:55 asking what was going on and even got interested enough that he asked why we didn't wake him. I reminded him that I asked and he refused! (He didn't remember this conversation as it was while I was tucking him in, and he was probably already 1/2 way to dreamland!!!)
Charles, a true teacher who missed his calling, told the kids that if they thought this was a grand event, just imagine what it will be like when Christ welcomes His bride into Heaven. What an amazing thought that is!!!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Samuel!

One year ago today (well at 1:30 this morning actually), we were on our way to East Cooper Medical Center and at 6:40, we welcomed our sweet Samuel into our family. For years, we knew that our family was complete. We had our daughter and our son. There were 4 of us... it worked perfect for vacations and vehicles. They were getting older and more independent. We had a date night every Friday night as they headed over to my parent's house. Everything fit perfectly in the life we had planned. God had other plans... He saw fit to add an odd number to our family, a helpless baby who was not independent, who did not spend every Friday night with Nana and Papa and could care less if we every went on a date again!!! :) And we couldn't be happier. I didn't even know that a piece was missing in our family until he joined us. He has turned everything upside down (now that he is mobile, this is a literal statement as well!!) We all adore him so much.

Happy 1st Birthday Samuel... we love you bunches!

Is it bedtime yet?

I ask... because we have been up since 5:00am! Samuel's surgery to have tubes inserted into his ears was at 6:30 this morning... not exactly the time that we like to get up on Saturdays! :) They try to get the little ones in early though due to not being able to eat after midnight. He seemed a littled confused when I went to his room and started changing his diaper at 6:00 this morning!
We were taken into the examining room where Charles held him to get checked out. The procedure went great but he had a rough time coming off the anethesia. Imagine what it might look like for a baby to be drunk and that is what he looked like! He tried to open his eyes but they didn't quite work right. His limbs flopped about much like they did at birth. But most of all, he cried and whined and screamed... He didn't want to eat, acted like he was sleepy but wouldn't go to sleep. When we got home, we tried again to feed him but finally just rocked him while playing his Praise Baby DVD (best invention ever...) and he caved to the pressures of sleep.
I don't have any pictures because prior to the surgery, we were running on coffee and not quite thinking straight and afterwards... well, those would have just been to pitiful to post anyway!

Those pesky little ears...

Well... it started in October when we were in Atlanta for a wedding. The baby woke up around 1:30 screaming with a high fever. I suspected an ear infection but we were out of town, with no Motrin and no idea where the closest 24 hour pharmacy might be! We headed home the next day with a very miserable baby. I took him to the doctor the next morning and my suspicions were correct. I didn't think much about it since babies get ear infections all the time. Well... it is now December and two weeks ago, he was diagnosed with ear infection #4! Plus, even without having an infection, he was keeping fluid behind his ears. We have been on amoxicillian two times and augmentin two times. (side note... have no idea how he takes augmentin - it smells terrible!!!) Well, Dr. Hutton sent us to Charleston ENT, and our appointment was this afternoon. With absolutely no external symptoms, he had yet another ear infection today, fluid behind the ears and tested positive for mild hearing loss (due to the fluid). So, bright and early on Saturday morning, Samuel will be getting tubes in his little ears!
The bright side is that this has not caused any sleep disruption and no obvious discomfort since that first ear infection. He is the happiest, most content little guy. We are enjoying him so much.

Check ups

Our sweet Samuel is 6 months old today! Rebecca had her scheduled 11 year check up and I took the baby with me. When I got there, they weren't busy so they went ahead and did his 6 month (which was supposed to be on Friday.) He is doing wonderful. He only weighed in at 15 lbs which is the 10th percentile so we just have to add some formula or cereal to each meal. His length and head were just above the 50th percentile. He got SO upset when they gave him the shots. I had to blow in his face just to get him to breathe :( It is so hard to believe that we have had him for 6 months now. He is getting to be so much fun - makes lots of noises including coos, grunts and squeals.
Rebecca's appointment went great too. It is scary how fast she is growing up, made more real after the appointment and some of the girly things the doctor talked about! YIKES! I guess she is getting too old to reveal all of her measurements but she was 50% for weight and 70% for height. (So I guess there is hope for Sam since she stayed in 10-25% for weight when she was a baby and toddler!)
I love my kiddos so much. The other night I went and just watched each of them sleeping for a few minutes. I am just amazed at how God has chosen to bless us with 3 beautiful, healthy children!

Small but mighty...

I remember when I had just found out that we were expecting Rebecca. We went to JC Penney to look at maternity clothes. I was only about 6 weeks along so it was just insane excitement that sent me to that department. I did end buying something because I just couldn't resist the clothes that would show off my growing belly. I remember vividly that the lady who helped us said as we left, "your life will never be the same again." We laughed after we left because she said it like it was a bad thing. And of course, as a young married couple with no experience in parenting, we gasped at the thought of allowing children to dictate how we lived our lives. We would be the same... just add a new member to the household...
Fast forward 11 years... I was driving to the nursing support group that I attend and literally laughed out loud in the car as that long ago shopping trip came to my mind. Wow, to say that our lives haven't been the same is quite the understatement. I struggle to recall a life pre-children. Was there ever a time that it was just Charles & Irene? I know it is true because of the dates between our wedding day and the birth of Rebecca but it seems like a lost, distant memory. It is so funny how our lives are completely dictated by children. Not in a sense that they tell us how things will be run but how their activities rule my calendar. My close friends now are people who have children around the same ages as my children. My afternoons are now spent at soccer fields with other moms in this same season of life.
Now add the newest piece of the family, sweet baby Samuel and I have now conceded that life as we knew it has changed once again. Adding a baby to my home of 2 older kids was a more difficult transition than I had anticipated; but we are now wondering what we ever did before him and know that we wouldn't want to live without him.
Charles & I always laugh at how the smallest people in the house are the most demanding and who think that they get to rule the home.
I wonder if that is how God sees us. Compared to His power, wisdom and strength, we are much like the infant who is sleeping soundly in my home. He cannot get from one place to another without my help but he will scream with all of his might if he doesn't get what he wants, when he wants it. I find myself saying, "Baby, I know what you need. Just give me a minute and I will have it for you." Maybe I need to hear that word from God. "Daughter, I know your needs and I will take care of you. Just wait on my perfect timing."

Yay for Mommy's Milk

August 1-7 is National Breastfeeding week which celebrates the benefits of breastfeeding.

4 months!

Wow.. time is flying. I can't believe that we are already on the count down until school starts back! School supplies and uniforms are already starting to fill our house. Rebecca will be going into the 5th grade and Andrew will be in the 3rd grade. And... our sweet little Samuel was 4 months yesterday. He went for his check up today and weighed in at 13lbs 2 oz (25 percentile) and 25 inches long (50 percentile). We even got the go ahead to try some foods!!! So I made a Bilo run today and we tried some yummy sweet potatoes. He LOVED them. He was a little unsure about the first bite but then he grinned after every bite.
We are starting to get some sort of schedule and routine back. Samuel has been sleeping through the night for about 2 weeks now. That has made such a difference in how I feel during the day. I had been struggling just to get through the day after being up several times a night. It is amazing what a full night of sleep will do for your well being!
Well... here are a few shots of our first food and our summer.

Our Newest Member

I can't believe it has taken me 3 weeks to get this blog posted. Early in the morning of March 29, 2010, we welcomed Samuel Lee Weeks into our family, our hearts and our home. I was really hoping that he would hold out until April 1 so I could experience the brand new East Cooper Hospital; however, he had other ideas! So, we got to experience the last 3 days that the old hospital was open, filled with boxes against the walls and sparcely stocked rooms!
To say that he has changed our lives would not even begin to describe the adjustments in the Weeks home! Rebecca and Andrew have been amazing... I have no idea how I survived their infanthood without older siblings! They are always willing to lend a hand or just hold him, giving me the ability to do things like cook dinner, straighten the house and best of all ~ take a shower!
He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces at birth but lost down to 7 lbs, 7 oz by the time we were discharged from the hospital. At his 2 week check, he had only gotten to 7 lbs 8 oz so we had to go back the following Monday and then a week later. I am happy to report that yesterday (at 3 weeks old), he had gained to 8 lbs 2 oz! Now we're far from being a chunk but we were so happy that his weight is going in the right direction!
I never would have imagined that at 37, we would be starting over with an infant but I know that God has big plans for this child. I am so blessed and humbled to be a part of his story and to have the incredible responsibility to lead, guide and disciple him.

Taking a peak!

We had a 3D ultrasound today. It was really neat especially since they didn't offer those back when I had Rebecca & Andrew. Of course, the little guy moved all night last night and decided to chill and get cozy next to me during the ultrasound! She worked for about 45 minutes, turned me on my side, had me walk around...even blew some noise making contraption at my belly... and still he was calm and still with both hands in front of his face! So, we went to get some lunch and came back hoping to get him moving. Well, that still didn't work but we didn't manage to get a few cute shots.

We are about 10 1/2 weeks away and are getting excited! I registered for baby stuff on Monday and was so amazed at the amount of stuff there is to choose from! Who knew a baby could need so much. Babies R us actually had a baby spa. I mean, seriously, I don't go to a spa, why should baby??? So I basically just registered for the necessities like stroller, pack/play, bedding, tub and things like that. I decided to let my shower guests use their own tastes when picking out clothing and blankets. It was just too overwhelming to pick out every single item!

Let's take it slow...

Well, the New Year is almost upon us so it is that time again... to make goals that we HOPE to stick with (at least until the end of January :) Seriously though, we always do try to take this time to make a fresh start and evaluate our finances, family life, spiritual life, etc. One of the aspects of our family life that needs to change is the pace. It seems like we are always on the go and in a hurry. Something happened recently that made me realize that instant results are something that I have come to expect...
I purchased some of those energy saving LED light bulbs (you know the more expensive, curly ones). Well, I just replaced the bulb in the laundry room with the new one and for some reason, there is a second delay between flipping the switch and the light coming on... literally one second. I flip the switch, count "1, 1 thousand" and the light comes one. And do you know that one second drives me crazy? I growl, complain and whine in that one second. I threaten to leave the crazy light on all the time so I don't have to wait the one second (now isn't that an intelligent, energy-saving solution?) Now patience has never been one of my better traits but ONE SECOND????
So after about the 50th time of this happening, it occurred to me that I may need to slow things down just a bit. Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye since I became a mother. We are getting ready to welcome a new addition in about 13 1/2 weeks. So as we begin this new decade, I am committing to focus most of my time on what is important and eternal. God has entrusted us with a certain amount of time. Let's not spend it turning our wheels keeping up with things that will not last.

As helpless babe...

We welcomed a new member to our family yesterday... my sweet nephew, Ashley Hunter Boone. He surprised us by coming a few days early (was due 1/1/10). I guess he wanted to be kind and give Debbie & Josh that awesome tax credit and deduction for all of 2009!! :) He is so precious and tiny weighing in at only 6 lbs, 12 oz.

As I was thinking about him this morning, I was sobered to think that our Savior was just that helpless as He came to earth. Maybe I made such a comparison because we are in the Christmas season but to have a real, tangible visible of what God Himself, the Savior of the world humbled Himself to become really touched me in a way that it never has before. Christmas carols and nativity scenes have a tendency to glorify the birth of Christ. Live nativity scenes usually have either a doll or a baby around 7-8 months old but in reality, God Himself was a helpless baby probably weighing around 7 lbs or less, completely and totally dependent upon Mary and Joseph for warmth, nourishment and safety.

As my 10 year old and 8 year old held their new cousin, we were constantly saying "Be careful", "Hold his head"... They, of course, washed up with soap and water before coming near him. Yet Jesus was born in a barn and placed in a feeding trough for animals! Any mother today would gasp at such a thought.

And to think that Jesus, as He lay there helpless, dependent, possibly crying or suckling as He searched His mother for nourishment was being worshipped and adored by shepherds who heard the Angel of God and followed the Savior.

Give Thanks!

My last blog told of our endless car troubles. Well, not much has improved in that area. We had the head gasket and the coolant system repaired in the van and it worked great for a few weeks. Then on Monday, it would not crank at all! Well, I was beginning to find myself in a cloud of sort because it seemed like so many little things were happening the past few years that I began to feel like I was carrying a load that I couldn't bear anymore.

November 2007 found Charles laid off due to his company closing down completely. Then in March 2009, he was laid off from his new job due to the economy and lack of work. So basically, we used our great Dave Ramsey emergency fund, began to rebuild it with the new job... only to be jobless in less than a year and a half. God blessed him with a job that he absolutely loves in April and we again tried to catch up and save a little only to have car troubles and "life" happen in what seemed like record speed!

Needless to say, my prayers have consisted of requests, petitions, pleas, etc, etc. On Monday of this week... after dropping cupcakes all over the floor on the way to take them to Andrew's school for his birthday AND finding out that my van was not going to start, I felt like sitting in the parking lot next to my van and crying. I got home and went into my office to pray and bring my requests once again to what seemed like a silent God. Instead, I started to list all that was good and all that I had for which to be thankful. I started with the usual of salvation, family, health... then I began to think about how grateful I really am for those things/people that I take for granted. Not only has God blessed me with a husband who is a perfect example of what God meant when He said to "love your wife even as God loved the church", he is strong and healthy and employed :) The same goes for my children who are loving, giving, obedient (most of the time), healthy... As I began to really thank him for the health, closeness and love of all of my family and friends, tears began to stream. Then I thought of things that I rarely think of - like eyes to see His creation, breath to praise Him, hands to serve Him. I was so amazed at how many things kept coming to my mind like a home that gives us shelter, the fact that my mom has a spare car that we've been able to use, my awesome parents who live next to us, my incredible sister who has been closer than any friend could be... The list goes on... so, yes. we still have car troubles. We still don't have the money to fix them but God is God. He may seem silent but in His times of silence, I ask and pray that He reveals what it is that I need to learn and how I can grow during this time as I wait on Him.

Car Trouble to the Extreme

To say that we've had car trouble lately would be quite the understatement. About 2 months ago, my van started overheating. Charles replaced the thermostat in it and that was a success. On the way to church the next day, he rolled the window down, only to discover that it would not go back up! Well, we had to park it for the weekend and cover the window because, of course... it rained that entire weekend. Well, Charles decides to drive the van to the body shop on Monday to check on the window; however, the van will not crank at all! Well, thankfully, Charles has the use of a company truck so I began to drive his Jeep.


Everything was going smooth for the next month or so and with the exception of sharing a vehicle on the weekends, our situation was working out quite nice. Well, on a nice Sunday drive to the park one afternoon, the Jeep begins to sound funny. It had the sound of driving a standard shift vehicle in 1st gear so we were pretty sure it was a transmission thing causing it not to automatically shift gears as it should. Our suspicions were confirmed when I took it to the shop and was told that it needed a new transmission at the bargain price of $2000! Well, we decided that getting whatever was wrong with the van repaired would be cheaper than that so we started working on that.


We were so grateful to learn that a $70 battery and a $140 switch would make it crank and make the window work properly! Our happiness came to a screeching halt this past Thursday when the crazy van started to overheat again and NOTHING would get it to cool down. I was running errands and pulled into the school because of red lights flashing in the vehicle, only to find smoke pouring out of the hood and a terrible smell. Now, I don't know much about cars, but I'm sure that neither of those things are good. My brother in law and Charles worked on it all weekend and have discovered that it is a hose that shouldn't cost too much but is not something they can get to - so it is being towed tomorrow.


In the meantime, we had just Charles' work truck AND he locked the keys in it on Friday. No, I am not kidding. To make matters worse, his cell phone was locked in there with his boss's phone number in it who just happens to keep the spare key. Our incredible friends, the Schwartz, took pity upon us and loaned us one of the vehicles over the weekend. So, he was able to drive to his boss's house on Saturday and get the keys! I am now driving a spare car of my mom's that we lovingly call the granny mobile.... 1991 Chevrolet Lumina with 19000 ACTUAL miles on it. Yes, my mom bought it from an old lady (her aunt) who apparently didn't drive very much! Well, just so it would not be outdone in the car issues, Charles left for work this morning with the ONLY known set of keys to the granny mobile in his pocket. I realized it at 7:45 (the kids have to be at school at 8:00). He flew back home, gave me the keys and we both rushed off to begin our day.


I know that these things are so petty when compared to other things that could be happening and we actually started laughing like crazy when we realized that his keys were locked in our only mode of transportation. Our God is good and I know that He uses problems, big and small, to allow us to lean on Him. I am praying that these crazy months that we've had will teach me to lean on Him more and to be thankful for every blessing, regardless of the size!

Starting Over...

Well, at 36, we find ourselves with a 10 year old girl, an almost 8 year old boy and now a new little one on the way, due to arrive around 4/5/10! The feelings that I'm having vary between excitement, fear and shock. I am so thankful that God is choosing to bless our famliy with another child; however, part of me feels like I did as a first time mom to be! (It could also be that we have NOTHING left for babies with the exception of an exersaucer and a pack/play that I have for my nephew.)

Pray for us as we begin this new and exciting season. Andrew is beyond excited and Rebecca is, well...she is getting there! :) She is sure that she could not endure life with another brother; however, she is aware that a little girl would mean sharing her room!

We all fall short...

I would not have believed the story had the words not come directly from Governor Sanford's mouth. I sat as South Carolina and the nation heard him confess to being unfaithful to his wife. "NO"...I said outloud. He is one of the good guys, a family guy, a CHRISTIAN guy! It brought a true sadness to my heart. My first reaction was one similar to the ones I'm hearing in the media and seeing from my facebook friends. "How could he?", "What was he thinking?"... I stopped in my tracks when I felt God impress on my heart that He has commanded us to pray for our leaders. I thought back to my own prayers and tried to remember the last time that Mark Sanford and his family were even a passing thought. I'm sure he was mentioned as an umbrella prayer..."and bless our leaders, Lord"...but was I diligent in surrounding him and his famliy in my daily prayers? Did I pray that a hedge of protection would be around him, his family and his marriage? No...I don't think those words have ever been a part of my prayers.


I was then sobered to realize that my neglecting to pray for him was disobedience just as his infidelity was disobedience. YIKES...that is not a fun thought. You see, sins are judged differently on earth, as they should be, since earthly consequences vary; however, in God's eyes, sin is sin. period. We say that but do we really believe that? Do we believe that losing our temper, lack of faith or pride is the same in God's eyes as the child molester or rapist? Yes, consequences and punishments are different but they all have the same result: we fall short of the glory of God and must seek His forgiveness. Jesus' death on the cross paid for my sins along with the sins of the death row convict.


I know what some are thinking because I've seen the comments regarding his being in a public position causing him to be held to a higher standard. Well, he is being held to a higher standard; therefore, his fall from glory is a harder, longer fall than yours or mine would be. If you or I had an affair, we would suffer marital consequences and embarassment among our friends and family. Governor Sanford's marriage is being flashed across the television and is suffering embarrassment across the nation. So, yes is he held to a higher standard; but yes, he is also suffering more than the average person. We wonder why he thought he could get away with such an act; however, as we all know, Satan's biggest lie is that "no one will ever know" when he in fact, wants us to fall and then the fall be revealed to everyone. I also know that men in authority are HUGE targets for Satan and are under more attack that we could probably imagine.



I am disappointed in our governor; however, I support him, respect his authority and will be diligent in praying for him. This act does not make him a sleezy, lowlife as some have suggested. It proves he is human and not immune to the wiles of the tempter.

Dad's Day

I wanted to use my blog to wish my two favorite men a Happy Father's Day.

Thirty-something years ago, Reggie Baxley became a dad to me! Then four years later, my sister was born. Not having a son didn't slow him down. Oh no... his girls learned how to pitch a baseball, drive a stick shift, and I'm pretty sure my sister can change a tire! I've never given that a try! Yet he still was tender and seemed not to be bothered by the abundance of estrogen in our home. I've been told that I am like him...we're the only ones on time for any family function and I've been given the privilege of raising his clone! :) He still gets the oil changed in my vehicle, checks my tire pressure, knows what is wrong with my car when I describle the noises and even rides his riding lawn mower over my grass when our lives as young parents get too hectic. (That could also be because we're neighbors and my lawn is embarrassing but it is appreciated none the less!) I love you daddy and appreciate your strength and strong spiritual lead in my life.

My sweet husband is the 2nd dad I want to honor. He is such an amazing dad. He gets on the floor and acts like a kid...his height is the only way I can tell the difference sometimes. He takes the kids to birthday parties and parks just to give me some time alone. He leads our home in love and strength. He tells Bible stories to the kids in such exciting ways that I find myself anticipating the ends to stories I've heard all my life! I love you babe and am looking forward to each season of the journey that God has in store for us!

Happy Father's Day... enjoy!