Happy 30th Birthday Charles!

So, we hit another milestone in our house! Charles turned 30 this past weekend! It is hard to believe that we met almost 9 years ago! Who would have guessed we would be madly in love, have a beautiful child, and growing old together?! Man, life is great! When we asked how he wanted to celebrate, he very quickly responded with going to the Baylor football game in Waco to support his fellow teammates. So, on Saturday, we packed up and went for a great day to Waco with his parents and Cade. Here are some birthday pics. Happy Birthday to the best Son, Husband, Best Friend, and Daddy! We love you Charles!

Charles loves rice crispy cakes!

Charles and Cade watching the game in their Baylor Spirit shirts!

The Baylor Line and the Band

I even got to sneak in a visit with one of my roomies, Britni!

Enjoying the Game as a fam...Cade even has the Bear Claw up!

Cade's Baby Dedication

All of you know that Charles and I are strong believers in our Savior, Jesus Christ. With Cade, our mission has changed to include not only ourselves, but raising Cade in a Christian home. This past Wednesday at church, we had the opportunity to participate in the Parent/Baby Dedication. This was a special time where we made a public statement saying that we will raise Cade in the presence of the Lord. Family and friends joined us and we had such an amazing evening.

Our Family Pic

On stage with Pastor Fleming

He loves his Daddy's kisses!

Daddy thought it would be funny to put him in the collection basket.

Family pic with all the Grandparents!

My Great Aunt Lou and Uncle Ray even came to spoil me!

A new angel in Heaven

So, I have intended to post about this last week, but to be honest, everytime I tried...I had to stop due to all the tears. A week ago today around 8:45pm, a very special angel went to heaven. Her name was Grandma. There are very few people who touch your life in such a way that you know you will never be the same. For me, my Grandma was one of those people. She fought a very courageous battle of lung cancer and I am happy that she is now with our Lord and Savior. Although, I would still give anything to hug her one last time, or have her hold Cade. This post could go on forever with memories, but here are some of my fondest.

1- Every Birthday, I got a card and a McDonald's giftcard. Not to mention she would call and sing "Happy Birthday" to me around 6am.

2- Every letter I ever got from her had a stick of gum in it (complete with my name written on it...in case someone tried to take it!).

3- When a driver passed us speeding, she would say, "Go ahead and just tell them were coming!"

4- We would have to leave excessively early for EVERY event and she would say, "I'd rather be an hour early than a minute too late."

5- We would talk every first day of school, including this last year even though I was on Maternity Leave! So, I have spoken to her for 23 years. When I was going to school, she would say, "This year will make you even smarter!". When I started working in schools, she would say, "This is just one day closer to retirement!"

6- She called me "The Apple of her Eye" ever since I was little. So, when I was 5 I nicknamed her "The Peach of my Heart". These names stuck, and that was still what I called her every time we talked.

7- Finally, my favorite memory was talking to her every Monday morning on my way to work. This was a time we knew we would get to talk for sure, and she always picked up when I called.

Since the tears are really flowing now (I hope the pain of losing her gets easier with time!), I will just leave you with some pictures. She was my role model and I love her still so much.

I am a better person because of you Grandma, and you will always be "The Peach of My Heart".

Grandma and I overlooking where she grew up in Spur, TX

Grandma and I Geocaching

Grandma with her Grandkids at Christmas 2007

Kickin' up her heels!

Christmas Morning 2007

Thanksgiving 2008 with more cousins

Walking in a park in Lubbock, February 2008

"The Peach of my Heart"

Where has the time gone?

Ok, as this weekend came and flew by, I realized that my lil angel is already 4 weeks old today! I can't believe how time has gone! These last few weeks have been filled with lots of adventures by Cade including: almost 150 diapers, lots of bottles of milk, good naps, playing in his playard, staring at people, listening to music, watching his first Baylor Football Game (Sic 'Em Bears, great win!), sleeping on Daddy's chest, listening to Roald Dahl chapter books read by Daddy, and smiling with his dimples when he gets excited! Mommy's last week was not so fun as I had to battle severe Mastitus! If you have never had this, BE GLAD! If you have, you feel my pain...and I mean PAIN! Let's just say I thought I was dying in the ER room a week ago! But, today is a sunny day and we are enjoying family time with the holiday! Aunt Mendy, Uncle Chris, and Mackenzie came in town this weekend to visit and we had a blast! Mackenzie already thinks that Cade is hers and insisted on doing everything with him...including: feeding, diapering, helping hold his car seat, talking to him while he was trying to sleep, bathing him and lots of kisses on his head! Here are some pictures to catch you up, and I will try to be better about updating more, it is just hard to pry myself away from my lil angel!

Pictures by Charles' Brother Christopher...

Mackenzie playing with me in my playard!

Not so happy after being taken out of a warm bath!

Mackenzie holding me

One of my first outings with Mommy and Daddy!

Holding up my head like a big boy

Giving Mommy kisses for all her hard work and milk

This is how I roll...a chick on each side!

All ready and swaddled for my first BU football game! We won against Wake Forest, Sic' Em!!