NYC Birthday

For my birthday, my wonderful husband surprised me with a trip to New York City - no children - just us! We left early on Friday morning the 25th and headed toward the train station. I had no idea where we were going, I was just instructed to have my bag packed. Once we got to the train station platform, I was presented with two tickets to NYC. We had an incredible time - relaxing, yet busy, and lots of yummy food. I keep saying that the trip seemingly revolved around what we were currently eating, and what treat or meal would come next! Of course, we had to take in a show since our hotel was only 2 blocks from Times Square and the Theater District. We saw Legally Blond - not just because it's one of my favorite movies, but because my thorough husband did a lot of research and it is one of the most highly acclaimed shows on Broadway right now...for a great reason! We couldn't stop smiling and laughing during the performance, and Chris is still singing the songs, a week later! We hit Times Square, many good restaraunts, Central Park, St. Paul's Cathedral and several other hot spots. We had an incredible time...memorable and one of my best birthdays ever!

Us before a night out on the town - like real people! We even got to stay up late and eat desserts at a diner after the show!

It was a MEGA - HIT!

One of our "TOP TEN" highlights - outside the Ed Sullivan theater.

Jamba, Jamba, JAMBA!!! Oh, how I've missed you! The perfect birthday treat!

Weeding and Sin

Strange topic for a blog post, right? It's just something that has been on my mind lately, and as I shared with Chris, he affirmed that it wasn't just weirdness in my own mind talking, but that it was worth sharing. Sometimes the Holy Spirit talks to me in amazing ways, even through menial tasks such as weeding. Over the past month, I've been battling weeds here in the flower beds at the house. Not just a few weeds here and there, but two trash cans full of weeds that apparently have not been taken care of. I found weeds where I didn't even think there could be weeds. I think it comes from not having the same people live here for more than a few months - I am not really sure anyone ever took ownership of the "garden" and wanting it to look presentable. Anyway, enough of that...onto the revelation.

The fact is, that while I was pulling weeds a few days after giving them a good spray down with industrial strength weed killer, I found that I still had to dig down deep in the soil and make sure that the root came along with the 'flowered' part of the plant. Beautiful as some of them were, they were still weeds. Ugly as some of them were, they were still weeds. It's kind of like sin. Sometimes there are things in our lives that are blatantly ugly. Sin that doesn't hide, we can see it, we know it's there and we just pass right on by without "weeding" it out of our lives. Then there's the "beautiful" weeds. The ones that seem ok at first; we rationalize, say they produce flowers, say they will beautify the area. But as they grow, their true nature comes out - they are nothing but weeds, and they get larger and become more entrenched into the ground than if we would have taken care of them in the first place.

So how do you remedy these weeds? I figure some will just pull the tops - they figure if they get rid of what can just be seen on the surface, then there will not be sin below. Maybe they will avoid looking at their weeds by simply passing them by. Others will realize that only through a good "spraying" of scripture, prayer and walking in worship with Christ and others will get those deep roots. They let the weed killer sink down into their souls and fend off the sin that has become entwined into their lives. It doesn't happen in a day, or a week, but takes a lifetime of tending to your own garden with the right weed killer...I'm envisioning Jesus with a jug of spray goin' at my weed infested heart - it's kinda funny actually. Well, metaphorically of course, spray 'em down and pull 'em out.

Funny - who woulda ever thought weeds and sin were alike? Oh, that's right, Jesus did.

Step Surfing Pix

Anna post-doc visit.

Anna 24 hours later. Just a forehead booboo and no emotional scars - just Daddy and Mommy are scarred.

Step Surfing

Apparently, Anna has decided to take up a new hobby. Step surfing (read: knocked over the baby gate and flew down the steps - much to our horror). Not really the best hobby for a ten month old, but she apparently decided to embark on this new interest this morning at around 9 am. We heard the clatter and are not sure exactly how she managed it. Hudson was down the stairs earlier and when one of us closed off the gate again, we must not have secured it as tightly as it needed to be - no one's fault, just something we will be more careful of now. When I came running, Anna was at the bottom of the steps on the carpeted landing with the gate on top of her legs. In a flash, she was picked up (which looking back I probably should've assessed her first, but that wasn't my first instinct) and rushed upstairs to be looked at. She cried, not hysterically, but out of fear, I believe. Chris called the Pediatrician and they had me bring her in right away. They looked at her and, by the grace of God, nothing is wrong with her accept a bruise on her leg, and two brush burn/bruises on her head. She has a bandage on the larger one now after cleaning it at the doc - I'll post a picture in a bit. After thinking about how she landed, the injuries, and the noise, I literally think she surfed down the steps. I think she pushed the gate, went sledding on it, and flipped at the bottom onto her back. We are to continue to watch her the rest of the day, but are thankful for the fewest amount of injuries that she has endured. Praise God. Many prayers of thankfulness are being said over and over.

Beach Babies

Our trip to North Myrtle Beach was relaxing and full of lots of laughs. One that definitely needs highlighted is Mona Jean's (Grandmom :) blunder on the way down in the car. Yes, we drove, all 9 hours in a minivan with 2 babies and 4 adults; plus all beach gear and luggage. Grandmom asked the front seat, "Can Hudson watch a DVD?" I turned and said, "I guess he knows about it now" as Hudson is chattering, "Movie, Movie, Movie!" She responded, "Sorry, I guess I should've spelled DVD." Here's your sign mom! :) HA! She insists that she did that on purpose, but the rest of the riders agree it was the Southern Belle shining through. Here are a few pictures of of our wondrous vacation.

We celebrated our 8th anniversary while on vacation - built in babysitters, so we actually had a wonderful night out on the town.

Chris and Hudson in front of the BTTF Delorean at Barefoot Landing. This made Chris' vacation complete!

Arg! That's one bad pirate!

Mmmmm....that sand is yummy! Anna thought it was a treat to eat sand.

Diggin' holes to bury Hudson in the sand. He thought this was a great game!

nuff said...
Anna and cousin Will - she loved being in someone's arms - there were a lot of those around this week, I think she got a bit spoiled.

Missing Teeth

Hudson did really well and the nurses and drs. commented on how he was really brave, didn't cry at all, and showed no fear. When he opened his eyes in recovery, the nurse said the first thing out of his mouth was, "Where are the trains?" They have a fun train track that runs around the ceiling for the kids to look at. He sat in recovery the whole time just watching the train go round and round.
With teeth this morning at 6:50 am:


With gauze bandaids on the way home:


Smiling with Daddy without teeth in the front:

dancin' in the rain

When there is a downpour, a deluge of water, who can resist a good run in the rain? On Friday, it rained and rained - without lightning - and upon return from the farmer's market, Hudson and Beth had a great time playing in the rain, the puddles and the rain gutter run off.