To My Son

Dear Westin:

Happy 3rd birthday, baby! I've spent the better part of this past week reminiscing the last three years of my life--  thinking about how much you have blessed our little family just by being here & being you. You are a precious gift from God & I hope no matter what may come, you will always, always know how loved you are. 

What a great year we've had! You've really developed such a great little personality & you are an absolute joy to be around. You are so smart, so funny, and so charming! You love to be a part of our conversations and you constantly amaze me with how much you understand and pick up on.  I just can't believe how easy it is for you to learn and how much you enjoy learning... Whether it's watching you with your Daddy learning how to play ball or whether you're memorizing your memory verses, or a book, or a movie, or playing Angry Birds & Rock-a-bowling on Daddy's phone... you just pick things up SO quickly.   


I've enjoyed watching you in your new role this year as "Big Brother."  I can already tell that you will be very protective of Tucker.  You're proud that he's your little brother and you are so quick to let someone know if he's upset or needs something.  You enjoy making him laugh and are really enjoying beginning to play with him now that he's getting big enough to start playing with you.  Sometimes you're too rough with him, all in good sport, but I know that YOU are the only one who is "allowed" to be rough with Tucker.  You're good at watching out for him already and that makes my heart so glad :)


Some days I think you're a little too smart for your own good :) It's impossible to "pull the wool over your eyes" already... you know your way in & out of an argument and sometimes it leaves mommy's head spinning... and I'm a pretty good "arguer" myself.  It's crazy to think that a year ago you were just barely able to speak in sentences... and now you can form full thought processes and explain what is going on inside your clever little mind.  You are ALWAYS entertaining me... I am never, ever bored when I'm with you.  I'm so blessed to be able to spend nearly every waking (and sleeping, for that matter... I'm sure one of these days you'll decide your big boy bed isn't that bad and you won't be making the late-night or early morning trek to my bed to cuddle anymore... and I will probably be very sad because I will be the first to admit I treasure our cuddle time) moment with you.  

I can't think of anything more rewarding or enjoyable than watching you grow up.  I am in nearly constant prayer for you & the man that I hope you will become. I know our God is watching over you, blessing you & loving you & it is my prayer that I will be a tool in His hand to help shape your character and to instill in you a desire to be a man of God-- to be a pillar in your home, your church, and your community.  You are so, so loved.  Happy Birthday, sweet boy!

Love,
Mommy 

Spring In Our Step

I feel like Spring came early to Colorado this year... which is a really great thing because by the end of February I felt like I really couldn't take two more months full of snow and bitter temperatures.  Thankfully, March was SO NICE.  This was Westin's first warm Easter EVER.  We even got to hunt eggs OUTSIDE! 

 I made the boys Easter shirts which was a lot of fun :) I love my embroidery machine!! I had to get one last photo of Westin's long hair... apparently I'm the only one who loved it so I gave in & let him get a "summer cut" which of course looks handsome on him also!

 The boys had a lot of fun dyeing eggs at my parents' house.  Westin really got into it this year & wanted to color EVERYONE's eggs... multiple times.  We had some pretty interesting colors :) And Tucker decided to smash his & eat it... to each his own...

I always have so much fun dressing my boys up :) I always thought dressing boys would be pretty boring but I find it both fun & challenging! This years' Easter outfits were super fun.  My mom bought them both little Sperrys to wear so I wanted to find them something they could wear with their cute "boat shoes!"  We ended up with this: 

 The Easter Bunny stopped at IKEA on his way to our house! :) Kreg & I are so blessed to have family close to watch our babies when we want to go on a date.  We try to make it a point to have one date night a month.  March's date was to IKEA in Denver... probably my new favorite place.  You can spend a whole day in that store... the food is great, the prices are great, the toys are awesome... I'm tellin' ya! 

Now that Kreg is home in the evenings more (no more Air Force Academy games until football starts), we've been making it a point to take family walks as many nights a week as possible.  We're enjoying the nice weather, giving our labs some exercise, letting Westin ride his awesome chicco bike with no pedals, and helping to get ourselves in shape because we are leaving on Saturday for a cruise!! To the Bahamas!! We can't wait... my hubby works SO hard & I am so excited for some R&R and some time to regroup & reacquaint! Not to mention I have never been to the Bahamas & I'm really excited about taking in some beautiful scenery.  

We've been in our home for three years this summer & every Spring I love watching all of the work we've put into our landscaping start to mature.  My tulips are just lovely this year! They were one of the first things I planted after we moved in & thankfully they have come back better & better each year.

 Tucker is 9 (almost 10) months now & just a treat.  He's got such a winning smile that is very hard to say "no" to & he loves his big brother more than anything in the world!  He is always watching him & mimicking him & trying to figure out how he can do everything Westin does.  The words in his vocabulary include both mama & dada, "nana" (food), hi, Tay -Tay (of course... one of Westin's first also) and tay-too (thank you).  He signs "please" when he wants something... usually food.  He's a big eater (at least compared to Westin) and is somehow still only in the 10th percentile for his weight... not sure how much stock I put in that measurement as he has the cutest little leg rolls I've ever seen. He walks around everything & stands up on his own but hasn't tried to walk yet. I did his 9-month photoshoot & was really pleased with the shots we got!  Here's the link to the ones I put on our photoraphy business's facebook page:
 Tucker- by it'sALLgood photography
 

 We're looking forward to everything the next few months have in store for us! It will be busy, for sure, but that's how we do things.  Between our vacation, Westin's birthday, our anniversary, & Tucker's birthday, you will **hopefully** be hearing from me a lot :) I have such lofty goals for this little corner of my world... I'm going to try to be better about carving out a little more time each week to try to record the precious things I don't want to forget.  Starting.... oh... I don't know... when I get back.  Hopefully. <3

Every Love Story is Beautiful... But Ours is My Favorite

Dearest Kreg:
 I didn't find a Valentine's Day card this year.  Not for lack of trying :) you know me.  It's hard to find the right words to sum up how much I love you and how thankful I am that you are MY Valentine FOREVER.  Our story never ever gets old or boring!  I thought it might be fun to reminisce a little about the past 6 years and tell you a few of my favorite memories of us.   

I'll never forget the first time I met you! I still can't believe I was brave enough to introduce myself.  After a semester of running into you and watching you from a distance, I finally found it in me to say, "hi, I'm supposed to meet you.  I know your sister."  :) Kim, I will always be in your debt! 

Our first official picture together :) You came out to visit me August of 2006 after a summer full of texting each other :) I was SO excited to introduce my Lenny's boy to everyone!  The time we spent together that week was PRICELESS.

This one cracks me up every time I look at it.  I'm sure you probably know why :) I'm SO glad you came out that week!

The following 3 months were I'm convinced, the best way to begin our relationship.  You were in Italy & I was in Colorado.  We spent lots of time writing facebook notes to each other, spent lots of money on international phone calls, a lot of time thinking & planning & deciding & a little bit of time finding ourselves.  

When you got back, you flew in to Colorado to spend time with me & drive me back to Harding for the spring semester.  I picked you up from the airport & we listened to "our" song together for the first time & you asked me to officially be your girlfriend! I can never listen to that song without remembering those feelings :)

Harding was such a special place for us!  It was the perfect setting for us to start our lives together & it will always have a special place in my heart.

I LOVED getting to know your romantic side! This was one of the first times I remember thinking, "I LOVE this boy.  So much."

Remember when that girl sent me the nasty message telling me my face was ugly & I wasn't nearly pretty enough to be your girlfriend?  I learned so much about "us" that day.  I will ALWAYS be thankful for the way you see me.  I know you think I'm beautiful (and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks) but that isn't why you love me.  You love me for the right reasons.  That day I decided I would happily spend the rest of my life with you!

One of my very favorite dates was the scavenger hunt you sent me on! I learned random tidbits about you as I drove around Searcy following your clues and collecting my coke bottles!

The coke bottles led me to you at one of our favorite places {the farm} for lunch with two of our favorite people {Mamaw & Papaw}

Later that day we went to "our spot" & just lounged.  Remember those kinds of Saturdays?  Those are few & far between these days, huh?

It was the infamous day that the bird pooped on you while we lounged... haha! I still can't believe he did that.  He had it out for you :)

  
That was such a fun semester! We made so many memories that I will cherish for many, many years.  

"3 swings & a ring" :) this was a big deal!

I spent that summer in Searcy! I was working & taking classes but I really couldn't imagine being away from you all summer.  I remember you taking me to the lake at Heber and I was too afraid to get in the water... because I couldn't see what was in it! HA! You worked on me & I finally gave in.

We went to Disney World & Cocoa Beach that summer with my family! One of my top 10 vacations ever :)

Your 21st birthday weekend was another of my favorite memories from that year :) My first trip to Dallas! We saw the Lion King and ate at Texas de Brazil!  I'd be up for that again ANY TIME. :)

Ready for our fancy evening!

Razorbacks game :) I had to be able to call the Hogs to REALLY be your girlfriend :) Passed the test. Flying colors.

OH, and I had to be able to handle a .22 rifle.  Little did you know how good I was :) Passed that test. :)

Okay, the bell tower... now it's getting serious :) little did I know, you'd already asked my dad's permission to marry me!

That Christmas Eve, you flew in & surprised me.  As I was opening my present from you, you snuck around the corner. You asked me to marry you :)

I think that day began the official whirlwind known as "us." :) We haven't really slowed down much since then, have we? :) That semester was full of school, work, wedding planning, & wedding showers! It went by SO fast!

I know I've told you many times, but the day I married you was like a dream.  It didn't feel real!  Everything went so smoothly and everyone was so happy & excited! We couldn't have asked for anything more!

If our wedding day was like a dream, our honeymoon was equally dreamy!  We MUST do this again some day :) I would just LOVE to have another chance to lay on the beach, eat, drink, sleep & get to know you all over again! Worry free.  Just us!

I am SO glad we took that trip to Italy that summer!  Seeing all the places you were in when I fell for you was so special!  This place will always be connected with you & me in my mind!

I loved putting our first place together!  Our little apartment on campus was just perfect for us!  Everything we owned was so new and fresh and crisp! 

That fall our life was turned UPSIDE DOWN with a positive pregnancy test :) Was there any way we could have possibly known how much our little Westin would enrich our lives?  Yes, we learned the very definition of "fear" and it will always be in our vocabulary!  But I know neither of us would have it any other way.  I'm so thankful that you are my boys' Daddy.  I'll NEVER forget the first diaper you changed! Oh, my.  I'm so glad its on video :)

Westin is ALWAYS ready for you to come home! You are his best bud.

Milk & Cookies buddies!

This past year has been a crazy one for sure! Our lives are full of sleepless nights & long days.  But I always feel SO blessed that I'm the one you come home to at night.  I love the little moments that make every day SO blessed. I love your work ethic & the drive you have to provide such a good life for our sweet family.  I am BEYOND thankful to be your wife & your valentine! THIS KIND of love is what I dreamed about.