{goodbye 2008}

in 2008, i...

~celebrated my thirty-second birthday...
~nursed my very last baby (much of the time with help from a supplementer) and enjoyed every beautiful and trying moment of it...
~watched my eldest 'graduate' from preschool...
~cried as i left the above-mentioned's kindergarten class as he began his formal education!
~cut my hair off quite short (well, quite short by meredith standards!)
~praised God for my favorite daddy's normal heart catheterization results!
~honored the life of my dear papaw hogg who went to be with Jesus...
~traveled on an airplane with a 7 month old...
~rearranged my living room (thanks, mere!)
~painted my bedroom
~endured the loss of a wonderful little church we had called home since moving to the coast...
~changed 4,382 stinky little diapers (give or take)...
~breathed a sigh of relief when the sweet, middle girl-child finally started uttering actual, understandable words!
~thanked the heavens above when i was finally able to get a five year old and 6 month old to sleep in the same room (without one waking the other!)...
~experienced the actual necessity of ducktaping a diaper to a toddler's body; yes, you heard me correctly!
~received my first sewing machine, which i have yet to put to good use...
~realized taking three kids grocery shopping (or anywhere by myself, for that matter!) is not something i want to do on a regular basis...
~started actually thinking about the possibility of home-schooling my children...hmmm...
~comprehended just how extraordinarily blessed i am in SO very many ways, everyday of my ordinary life...God is so good...

love you all--those i see everyday, those i miss everday...you know who you are! wishing you a very blessed 2009...

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

merry christmas to all those we love! this is my christmas card that has not made it to the postal service just yet! so, be looking for a happy new year card instead :) we sure missed being close to family this year but we had a super time with our dear friends, the finch crew, on christmas eve; and we enjoyed it just being the five of us and staying in our christmas pajamas ALL christmas day!!

xoxo

{Impossible!}

I can hardly fathom the reality that my baby is six years old today. Surely not?? How amazing it is to still be able to relive those moments in my mind so vividly when Leighton Miles Davis came into this world--all 9 pounds and 10 ounces of him--and made me what I hoped I would always be...a mama...his mama! In this world, I do not always know what God has planned for me around the corner...down the road...but, I do always rest in the knowledge that He has given me this charge...to be the best mother I can be to my sweet six-year old, Leighton (and M & M, too of course!) and give him unconditional love, spiritual knowledge and guidance, consistent discipline, and keep him covered with prayer daily--asking our gracious Father above to draw Leighton close to Him and reveal Himself to my little vivacious, energetic, sensitive six year-old. Please, Jesus, write Your name upon his heart...and use me in whatever capacity to turn his heart toward You, Lord! This is my sixth birthday prayer/wish for my sweet baby boy, Leighton...

how do they go from this....

newborn leighton snuggled in his cradle

to this!?!?

six year-old leighton at his birthday party

Just as the title says....impossible....I love you, Ley!