Sweet Summertime

We have had the best summer!! I think this is the first time in a very long time that I am sad to see summer end. I'm usually itching for fall to get here by now but I wish we could hang on to summer (sans the hot temps) a little bit longer. 

We were able to check things off our summer bucket list and spend some very intentional time together as a family. The summer is a little bit calmer for us without Wednesday and Sunday night church activities so we soaked up a lot of quality time and made every effort to be outside, be adventurous, and simply enjoy being with each other. Levi is at such a fun age and is learning new things every day. I have loved every minute with him and I want to remember this summer forever :) 

Here are some fun things we were able to do this summer: Roadtrips to New Bern to see Mimi and Poppy and the Fickles, Charlotte to shop at the mall and eat at Cheesecake Factory, and Greenville (twice!) to visit Aunt Meg and the boys; play dates with friends; mornings and afternoons at the pool (we spent several days a week at the pool and loved it!!); swinging, sliding and playing in the sand at the playground; playing with Finley and blowing bubbles in the backyard; VBX and SummerSalt for Ryan; Fireflies game with our SVBC family; pool party and paint wars with our SVBC students; half marathon training/running 4 days a week; going out to breakfast after our long runs on Saturday mornings (we've tried to eat somewhere new each week as a reward after our runs and it's been so fun); and last but not least... the Riverbanks Zoo and splash pad! 

Update on Levi at 15 months:

Likes: being outside!!, going to the zoo and splash pad, chasing and playing with Finley, feeding Finley his food and filling up his water bowl, playing in his big blue truck, reading books, dancing to any music, his mega Legos, veggie straws, Annie's canned organic biscuits and fruit, bathtime (he bolts to the bath when we ask if he's ready to take a bath), brushing his teeth (also bolts to the bathroom for his toothbrush when we ask if he wants to brush his teeth), his paci- he would keep it in his mouth all day if we let him but he only gets in at bedtime/nap and in the car if he's fussy. 

Dislikes: water being dumped on his head in the bath, when Mommy says we can't go outside, meal times, his car seat most of the time 

Milestones:
~Levi now has 10 total teeth and the 11th just popped through on the bottom, wears 18 month clothes, weighs 23 lbs, size 5 diapers and is still dairy and soy free
~He can identify his tongue, eyes, ears, nose, head and feet when asked and points out specific things he recognizes (tree, fish, dogs on tv, and things like that). We are now working on animal noises. 
~He understands most everything we say to him, can follow simple instructions, and can tell us what he wants (snack, paci, go outside, etc.) I feel like we can have conversations even though he doesn't talk. :) 
~He does well with more, milk, please, thank you and hot in sign language. 
~He can say mama, dada, Holley (pronounced "Hi-ya"), tree ("ee"), water ("wa-wa").  
~He holds up his #1 finger when asked, "How old are you?" and loves to brush his hair with my brush when I ask him. 
~He has his favorite books and likes to point out specific images on the pages each time, "read along" with me, and do the motion for "pee yew" when we read about the stinky dump trucks in "Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?" We've ready some books so many times that he knows what's coming on the next page. He also loves to say "dibble dibble dibble" when we read about the rain in his Dr. Seuss book. 

~Graduated from the nursery to the toddler class for Sunday school (He's in SS for two hours on Sunday morning and for an hour on Wednesday nights. I'm thankful for this time he has with his friends and teachers to begin learning about Jesus and I'm also thankful for time to worship and teach our class on Sunday mornings and hear Ryan preach on Wednesday nights.) ~Plays very well by himself. We have independent play time every morning after breakfast and he explores all of his toys and entertains himself for over an hour.
~He has still never been sick!!  Thank you, Lord! 

Sleep: This boy remains a champion sleeper and still goes down without a problem and never wakes in the middle of the night. When it's time to go to bed at night we ask him, "Levi are you ready to go night night?" And he will wave night night to us and run to his room all on his own. Makes me laugh.  He sleeps 7/7:30 pm-8/8:30 am. He takes a 1.5 hour morning and a 1+ hour afternoon nap most days but we have been really flexible with that this summer if we have things to do or places to go. There are several days when we skip morning nap and just take an earlier afternoon nap but he is happiest when he gets two naps. 

*(Update as of 9/1/16: we have officially dropped morning nap. He started taking a longer morning nap and refusing his afternoon nap so we decided that was a sign he was ready to go to one. He has transitioned well and is very ready for his nap when it's time. He now naps right after lunch for 2+ hours. Usually 1-3 or 1:30-3:30 pm)

Here are a few snapshots of our summer! 

VBX!

Waterfall Junction

Even riding the tram to the splash pad is fun!

Asher, and Isaac, and Levi at the zoo- oh my! :)

My cousin Stephanie and her son Nathan passed through Columbia for a visit- we spent the day at the pool and grilled out for dinner. 

Pelican's night with our SVBC students

Paint night with the SVBC women's ministry

Farewell lunch for our college bound students!

Levi LOVES feeding the animals at the zoo

Sleep stalking- look at that angel boy :)

My mom came over a bunch to go to the pool when she was home from the beach this summer. 

Charlotte with my loves

Daddy bought Levi a fishy and named him Fernando! 

Reading a favorite

Best buds at Clemson Extension

Finley went and sat under the tree so Levi followed and sat down ride next to his buddy.

Pool party with the best SVBC parents 

He just randomly hugs Finley and it's the cutest thing ever

Harrison, Levi and Isaac- the three muskateers ;)

Books with Aunt Holley are the best

Friends since the fifth grade having fun at the propski with our babies

Play date with Harrison and Evie

Pelican's date

Sweet Poppy 

Best day with our best buds at the zoo!

((Romans 8:32))

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Levi's Beach Birthday

The Lord gave us a beautiful day to celebrate Levi's 1st birthday with family and friends at the beach! Can't believe we now have a 1 year old! We had such a wonderful week at the beach-- can't wait until next time!!

Birthday lunch with a view of the beach!

Cake made by talented Aunt Rachel

Happy Birthday Levi!

Levi's very own dairy and soy free chocolate smash cake made by Daddy. His very first taste of sweets! 

Savoring every morsel of that chocolate icing!

Opening presents in his new beach chair!

Levi {12 Months}

Yay I'm a 1 year old!!

Size: 12-18 month clothes, size 4 diaper and size 5 at night, weighs 21ish pounds

Eating: Levi's an eating machine! His favorites are pita bread, chicken, okra, and strawberries. We transitioned to almond milk at 11.5 months old and he loves it! He drinks about 20 oz of almond milk a day (usually at breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner/ before bed). 

Sleeping: Sleeps 7:30/8 p.m.-7:30 a.m. Still taking a morning and afternoon nap. Some days we skip morning nap and take an early afternoon nap instead.

Milestones: 
~no more breastmilk or nursing! We praise God for a wonderful, successful year of breastfeeding-- even through our dairy and soy challenges.

Likes: riding around in his cozy coupe truck, playing in his monkey pool, books!!

Dislikes: being in high chair too long- if he's not actively eating something then he really doesn't want to be in the chair.

Mother's Day 2016

Daddy and his boys

cheering on Daddy at his softball game

((Psalm 16:8))

I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

A Letter to Levi {My 1 year old}

Dear Levi,

One year ago tomorrow, God gave us YOU! And boy have you changed our lives for the better. It has been a beautiful year with you and I have loved every minute of being your mommy. The laughs, the smiles, the cuddles and kisses, the milestones, and even the tears. Through it all, you have brought us so much joy! It is a bittersweet thing to watch you turn 1. I want to hold on to my sweet baby, but I am also excited to watch you grow into a little boy. 

I will never forget May 29, 2015-- the day you entered this world and our lives. My labor began the night of our due date (May 28th) around 11:30 p.m. After weeks of Braxton Hicks contractions, early progress at the doctor (3 cm and 70% effaced at 38 weeks!), you decided you were ready to finally meet us. I labored at home for as long as I could and let your daddy get some needed rest before I decided we better get to the hospital. I was scheduled for an induction at 5 a.m. the next morning due to high blood pressure at our 40 week appointment, but the Lord answered our prayers and sent us into active labor before we ever got to the hospital.

We arrived to LMC around 4:30 a.m. after a stop at McDonald's for Daddy's biscuit and Dr. Pepper (!!) and after calling en route for the nurses to "please have an epidural ready!!" I was 6 cm when I got to the hospital and 8 cm when I finally got the epidural around 5:30 a.m. We called the family and told them they better hurry up and get there because things were moving fast. Your daddy never left my side and was so interested in everything that was happening. We were both so excited and ready to meet you!

Around 8:15 a.m. I was told it was time to push! Your daddy saw you first and announced how much hair you had! He held my hand and after just a few pushes, you entered this world at 8:28 a.m. Your daddy wept when he saw you for the first time and I wept when you let out your first cry. All I could think to say was, "Thank you Jesus!" over and over and over again.

It was a perfect moment and better than I ever imagined it would be. The nurse placed you on my chest and I was in awe when I held you for the first time. Your daddy prayed over us and I cried with thanks to God for his goodness, a healthy birth, and for giving us the gift of YOU!

It has been the most wonderful year, Levi, and we could not be more blessed to be your parents. It is a joy to watch you learn and grow and kiss your sweet cheeks. I love the start of each new day with you when I pick you up out of your crib every morning. I love reading books with you, watching you play with Finley, and seeing you and your Daddy love on each other. I'm thankful for a successful year of breastfeeding and bonding with you, of no sickness, and the honor of praying for you, snuggling with you, and loving you- my precious baby boy.

Most of all, I am thankful for God's grace that has covered us this year as we have grown closer to each other and to Him. At the end of the day, Levi, Jesus is the only thing that really matters. It is our prayer that you will see that in our lives and in our home and that you will dedicate your life to knowing, loving, and serving Him. 

We love you more than you'll ever know, sweet angel! 

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Ready for Battle

Have you ever felt unequipped for something?  Maybe for a test?  The daily grind of life?  Or perhaps for war – not a physical battle, but a spiritual one?

I recently found myself in a similar situation.  It seemed like I was being attacked from every angle, and I felt unequipped.  Unarmed.  Unprepared.  Unable to fight.  It did not take long for me to realize that I was fighting the battle with the wrong weapons.  

When we rely on our own strength to combat life's tough issues we end up tired, weary, and discouraged.  Why?  Because this is not how God intended us to live the victorious Christian life.  He is faithfully waiting to go to war for us and for us to call on Him in prayer. 

One of my favorite quotes from Priscilla Shirer's latest book, Fervent, says, "We pray because our own solutions don’t work and because prayer deploys, activates, and fortifies us against the attacks of the enemy.  We pray because we’re serious about taking back the ground he has sought to take from us.” 

Yes, we will face trials of many kinds, but we have a God who is listening and is ready to fight for us!  We see this beautiful theme all throughout Scripture: God often provides an opportunity for us to wholly trust Him as He fights on our behalf.  A great example from the Old Testament is the story of David and Goliath. 

David, a shepherd boy, was the youngest of his three brothers and probably the most unequipped to fight the Philistine giant, Goliath.  But God specifically chose him for this task.  In 1 Samuel 17:37 David courageously said, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  All along, God had been preparing him for this particular battle.  David was ready to fight. 

He approached Goliath “in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” with nothing but a sling and five smooth stones.  He wasn't dressed in any armor and did not carry any other weapons.  Goliath scoffed at the handsome, unarmed boy.  But David stood his ground and declared, “The battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

And it was with the Lord's power that David defeated Goliath.  He prevailed with a sling, a stone, and complete dependence on God, his Defender and Protector.

What a great reminder for our present circumstances – good or bad.  It was not David's might that allowed him to take down Goliath; it was his reliance upon and trust in the One fighting on his behalf!  It's amazing to me to see how God used previous events in David's life to prepare him for this moment.  Just like for David, the trials we face today and the tough seasons we endure are simply strengthening our faith to conquer the unknown battles ahead of us. 

The next time you feel like you are facing a giant that seems too big to defeat, engage the most effective weapon we have as believers in Christ and call on God in prayer.  When we clothe ourselves in spiritual armor and find our strength in God alone, we will find – just like David – that true victory is in the Lord.