Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step

OK, so it's not really a thousand miles...more like 3.1 and for all you metric fans 5 kilometers. I ran my first 5K on Saturday. My friend Lindsey and I entered the Reindeer Romp in Rock Hill. As you might be able to guess with that clever name they did provide us with reindeer antlers to run with (we both opted out of that one...according to Josh I didn't need the extra drag slowing me down!) but my favorite thing in our race packet was the compass/whistle combo! I had two goals...to run the entire race and NOT be the person they were picking up cones behind. Thankfully I didn't have to trip anyone to avoid coming in last...I was actually 6 minutes faster than my average time! Hopefully this won't be the last 5K for me...I'm thinking I'll get Josh to run in the next one with me.

Before the race...numbers 59 & 60.

Start line...we were not at the front but in the middle of the pack with a slew of elementary school girls.


Here we are behind some of the racers that did wear the antlers.

Lindsey crossing the finish.

Me coming up to the finish line.

Play Along!

We were listening to the radio one day and they gave a statistic that 70% of all high school graduates don't read a single book after they graduate. I was astonished by this and Josh remarked "you make up for at least 3 of those people". Very true.

A few years ago at a women's conference the speaker made the following statement..."Read things that matter". I was personally convicted and decided to read different kinds of books. Now I wasn't reading smutty novels or anything but I do enjoy fiction. Her point was that what you are reading is what is going to rattle around and stick in your head. Since then I have tried to read more biographies...especially those of Christians.

I do still pick up a novel and will never give up Jane Austen but wanted to share a quote from a very powerful book that I recently finished. The book is "The Heavenly Man" (thanks for the copy Brian McGhee!) by Brother Yun & Paul Hattaway. "We are absolutely nothing. We have nothing to be proud about. We have no abilities and nothing to offer God. The fact that he chooses to use us is only due to his grace. It has nothing to do with us. If God should choose to raise up others for his purpose and never to use us again we would have nothing to complain about."

Even though my reading time is not as abundant as it was pre-children I still manage to make time. I know that several people look at this blog and I would love for you to make yourself known. Please post a comment. Let me know who you are, how we know each other, and tell me a favorite book or better yet recommend a book for me to read! Please don't make me feel like a dork...REPLY!!!

Thanksgiving Fort Mill

After a great Thanksgiving day in Anderson we went to Fort Mill for the weekend. We joined Mimi, Pappa, Aunt Bet, & Meema. Here Meema waits for the food...it was all so good (thanks again Mimi)!

Pappa and Aunt Bet goof off.
Mimi and Sam are ready to eat.

Dressed and ready to cheer on the Tigers. Way to beat those Gamecocks again!

Of course this is how Troy enjoys most of the football games.

Thanksgiving Anderson

We spent Thanksgiving day in Anderson with Nana & Pops. Uncle John, Aunt Stacy, Aunt Meg, & Uncle Matt came later in the day so we had lots of family fun together. Troy watches from the johnny-jump-up while Nana cooks.

Sam & Pops played outside. Sam's favorite thing to do is throw rocks in the water with Pops.
Nana & Pops also kept Shiloh & Dozer for us while we were in Fort Mill. That was good for us but bad for Little Kitty. She is traumatized everytime our dogs visit. Check out Pops trying to coax her out of the top of the tree.

With our camera zoom you can tell that she had settled in and had no intention of getting down until the dogs were stowed away in the garage. Even then it took over an hour for her to come down!

Working on His Escape...

Troy doesn't quite understand that the best way to get out of the crib is NOT to try and squeeze between the slats. It's amazing he was able to get that chubby leg through there!

Sam enjoys hanging out in the crib with Troy.

Morning Fun

Some mornings while I'm getting ready I'll put Troy on our bed to play. Sam always climbs up with him and they get to hang out together. Here Sam gives a hug...gentle!

Our two cutie pie boys.

Troy smiling and Sam being silly.

Laughing All The Way...

Life with 2 young boys is quite the adventure. I have to constantly remind myself to not get too consummed with having things perfect (ok, it honestly isn't that hard for me) and simply enjoy the moment. There are days when I feel like all I do is feed and clean up after 3 boys (Josh included) and wonder what on earth have I gotten myself into. Then there are those perfect, precious moments...ones that make it all worth it and that I hope will stay inscribed in my memory forever.

Sam (our 2 year old) is very verbal but it still catches me off guard when he says appropriate things that actually make sense. He climbed up beside me on the couch and put his head in my lap and said "I love you Mama".

Troy, now 7 months, can clap. He is too cute with his chubby hands & screw-on wrists sitting on the floor clapping and grinning.

We were at the supper table the other night and Troy started hitting the table. Sam, not liking all the ruckus, immediately said "No Troy. No high-five table."

There Oughta Be an Award

After being out of town all week Josh came home on Friday to a very sick wife and two needy boys. I had a sick headache and the boys were ready to eat. Josh juggled feeding the boys, making his supper, checking on me (in bed with all the lights out & making dashes to the bathroom to drive the porcelain bus), and putting the kiddos to bed. Not the welcome home he was expecting or deserved but what a great dad & husband!

We love you, thanks for all you do for us!!!

Halloween Fun

While Josh was out of town we had fun at our church's Fall Festival. Troy was Tiger Troy.

Sam was SuperSam...this is the best way to get a picture of the two of them together.
At the festival we saw several of our friends. Here are the Bowmans...Ms. Heidi, Hunter, & Mr. Michael.

Sam's good buddy Emily was SuperGirl...Danielle & David (Emily's parents) are the torsos in the background!

Sam shares love with Aunt Bet.

Pumpkin Carving

Finished Jack-O-Lantern...

Working...
The three boys hard at work...


Sam gives his input...

Sam Enjoys Some of His Gifts

Sam got lots of fun gifts for his birthday...here he enjoys a few of them.

Couldn't help but post this picture!

Sam's Party!

Sam turned 2 the other week (can't believe it!) and to celebrate we had a family party with 2 friends. Here are the cupcakes I made for the party. Elmo & Cookie Monster...some of the Elmos are more serious than others! These fared better than our cake saga from last year (Shiloh got into the construction cone cake I made the night before our party).

A few of our party guests...Nana with Troy, Uncle John, Aunt Stacy, Mimi, Sam, Aunt Bet, Danielle (Emily's mom), Emily, Sam, & Jacob. The other guests managed to avoid the camera.
Sam digs into his Elmo cupcake.

Getting ready to blow out his 2 candles.

Emily, Sam, & Jacob sporting the cool Elmo party hats.

Family Time in the Woods

The other Saturday was a beautiful fall day and we decided to go on a hike to the Chattooga River. We loaded up Sam, Troy, Shiloh, & Dozer and headed to the woods.

Sam throwing a rock in the river.

Sam & I are rock hunting while Troy watches from his perch in the pack.
Josh, Sam, Shiloh, & Dozer enjoying the water.
Josh was showing Sam how to throw rocks in the water...notice the action shot of Shiloh on her way to find that rock! Dozer was just confused.
Josh & Sam on a big rock.

More Time at the River

One of my favorite pictures of Josh & Sam.

Josh checks on Troy during our break.
Josh, the boys, & dogs on a footbridge watching the water. Sam loves to throw rocks & sticks into the water.
Family shot before hiking back to the car. We pulled out the Baby Bjorn and I carried Troy in it and Josh carried Sam in the back pack for the return trip. Our boys did so good...just the first of many more family hikes to come!

Pumpkin Painting...not ready for carving

Before we went to the pumpkin patch I had bought some small "pumpkins" at the grocery store for Sam to play with. We decided to paint them one afternoon. Here Sam is working on his pumpkin.

Notice his skillful use of color!
Troy joined the fun by watching...sorry, one day you'll be old enough.
Sam's pumpkin on the left & Troy's on the right (I helped with Troy's).