Updated prayer requests...

No fun pics today...just taking a minute to update our prayer request list. Preschool has started back for the girls, I am working more at the office, and Seth is enjoying his job and mountain/road biking. Summer went by too fast, but we refuse to stop enjoying each day...even if we all don't get to see each other quite as much. We have an upcoming Disneyworld trip planned!!!! YAY!

1. Prayer for my complete healing....I have been a lot more pain in my joints, rib, and spine.
2. Wisdom for the doctors and our family on whether to start new medications or wait...(ideally, i want to get off meds).
3. Guidance on our adoption process :)
4. Safety on our upcoming travel.
5. Prayer for strength as we as a family work at building a strong spiritual foundation and build new friendships along the way!

Thank you and know that I am always praying for my family and friends...let me know if there is anything I can specifically pray for.

A Child's Prayer

One of the sweetest sounds is one of the girls saying a heartfelt prayer....WOW!!! It is so cute in the mornings when we get in the car - the girls will not let me back out without saying a prayer. We have to trade off who prays first and then everyone gets a turn....SWEETNESS! Jadyn has a heart to pray for everyone - If an ambulance passes us on the road she immediately begins praying, "Dear God, please help nobody be sick or hurt." I also love listening to them sing worship songs. We get our fair share of Hannah Montana and Jonus Brothers already, but yesterday while swimming what I got to hear as they were playing was their precious, innocent voices singing "Word of God Speak. Won't you pour down Like Rain.(A few words I could not understand) then, "Your majesty, Be Still and Know." LOVE IT!

Cousins

We have Brittany and Karli staying for a week and these are just a few fun pics....Jadyn and Cady LOVE their cousins....ALL OF THEM!!! What a group....Cameron, Ariana, Teagan, Brittany, Karli, Jadyn, Cady, Heather, Rachel, Nicholas, Zachary, and Megan...I have tons more cute pics, but i have to figure out the slide show deal :)

Family is Forever

I LOVE keeping my nieces and watching them with Jadyn and Cady. How neat to have their cousins so close by and that they truly seem to miss them when they are not around. I am learning more and more that family is forever and our family is so blessed to have so much of our family close by. My sister and I are so close and I pray my girls stay friends forever as well. Seth and I are also learning that family goes beyond what is obvious...it extends to those friends who are there no matter what. We are so blessed with friends and I pray that my children are just as blessed....that they grow up with strong Christian friends who love them unconditionally.

One of my favorite things that Jadyn says is, "Mama, I love our happy family. I love you, daddy, sissy, and everyone in the whole world - even if I don't know them I still love them."

And Cady in all her sweetness says, "Mama, I love you." I respond with "I Love you too." She then comes back with, "Mama, I love you all the time."

I love this!!!!!God, thank you for the family and friends you have blessed us with. I thank you for the ones we have known forever, the ones we are just getting to know, and the ones you will bring into our lives. I pray that we show your unconditional love to all of our family and friends and that we glorify you. Just as one of my favorite song says..."Let my lifesong sing to you!" In Jesus name, Amen

Ear Piercing

Well, it happened...we gave in. When the girls were babies, Seth and I decided we would let the girls get their ears pierced when they were old enough to ask about it. Well, in the last few months, Jadyn has asked several times and in turn...Cady followed her lead. Seth and I agreed as long as we could both be there together to console :) Sunday was the day!!! The girls and I (including my two nieces) spent the day at Market Street and when Seth came to meet us, we just happened to be in Sweet and Sassy. So, why not? Jadyn was first and very brave....they were amazed that she never even flinched!!!! Cady, well...you can watch the before, during, and after photos to see how that went. She was brave too, but it took a trip out to the fountains to make her forget that she was not happy about what had just happened. She was crying and when the lady tried to give her a sucker....she said "NO, take these out". They are both very proud of their blue flower earrings and if you ask Cady now she talks about it like it was nothing. ( I think it is like childbirth/labor....it is amazing how you forget like 5 minutes aterward).
Jadyn before the big moment...

Jadyn during...

Jadyn after :)

Jadyn telling Cady "I love you, it doesn't hurt."

Cady before...

Cady during...

Cady after ....I had tears too and daddy had to turn away :(

Mama trying to make it better

And...she forgot all about it :)

We Love Great Grandparents

Grandparents are so amazing and I meant to write this on my grandmother's birthday (August 6), but am just now blogging again. My grandmother passed away about 2 years ago and it was so weird this year on her birthday because it was so natural to just want to pick up the phone and call her or have the kids make her a card. It is hard when grandparents leave (great grandparents to our little ones), but I am learning that you can still teach so much to the kids through stories. It is fun to remember all the experiences we had as children with our grandparents and Jadyn and Cady love to ask questions and listen to what we experienced.


Seth's Nana is still alive and the kids just adore her.......she is the coolest Nana ever. I mean she is up to date with the computer, keeps up with my blog, right now traveling in Scotland, got her college degree several years ago, and at one point even tried to get on myspace :). She is a real southern lady and I can see where Seth got his manners/charm....an AMAZING lady. I am glad the girls get to know her and it is so sweet to watch them play and love on her. All this being said, I just think it is important to cherish the grandparents/great grandparents in our lives. They have so much to teach and so much love to give.

My kids never got to meet my pappaw, but I will try to scan in some pics of me and my grandparents when I find them and I will do the same of some of my mammaw and the girls when they were a baby. Cady got to be with her the summer before she passed...so grateful for that!

Cady drawing for Nana

Jadyn showing Nana how to do yoga

Jadyn, Nana, and Cady

So Blessed that God chose him for me....

Date nights are such a blessing. Tonight our girls had the chance to stay with Aunt Stacy and their cousins....SLEEPOVER...that is what they called it :) Seth and I took advantage of this time to have a relaxing dinner at Perry's (can we say CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES) and then go to a movie. This was such a special time because it brought back a lot of memories. We had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding there almost 7 years ago. We also got a chance to really connect. I do know that even the times we are alone, we can't help but talk about our sweet little ones and recognize how blessed we are. It was fun tonight to just walk together and talk....holding hands, laughing, just like when we were dating....and as we walked Seth pointed out the moon. Jadyn and Cady try to find the moon every night and we decided we needed to embrace that. When you are little, everything is fascinating....and as we get older we try to stay just as fascinated by God's amazing creation and remember just how big God is.

God, thank you for bringing me such an amazing husband who loves his family and has such a strong desire to serve you. Thank you for the children you have blessed us with and I pray we bring them up to know you and make you first in their lives. Please help Seth and I to be an example to Jadyn and Cady of your love. In Jesus name,
Amen

Can you do this?

Jadyn and Cady LOVE gymnastics....I am so amazed at how big they seem now that they are doing the beam, floor, bars, trampoline - all by themselves!!!! I love that I still get to hear "Mommy, Watch me" everytime they do ANYTHING :). I am so proud of my girls and the little "Ladies" they are becoming. I love to watch their friendship develop as well. Jadyn loves to tell Cady what a great job she is doing and "teach" her how to do a cartwheel. Cady enjoys telling EVERYONE that Jadyn is her sister and will stop whatever she is doing to blow Jadyn kisses. They have both been in "Nastics" (as they refer to it) since they started walking. This Fall is going to be the most exciting for them because they will have their friends Emmy, Erin, and Alyssa in their class.

The process of a picture...

And here it is....me and my girls...true princesses :)

Almost there....still cute though!

Seth took this thinking we were ready :)


Getting a picture of the girls is often difficult...Seth has a lot of patience as we take several photo shots in order to get one or both of the girls to look at the camera, keep their eyes open, and then when you add myself or Seth it is even more fun :) Just thought I would share this....and my hat goes off to all those with multiple children who take great family photos....(ahem Star Molegraaf :))

Birthday Party Mania

Giving her new bear a bath :)

Our sweet friends Ethan, Emmy, and Erin....Emmy is Cady's bestie :)


They look like they might fall out of their chairs from sugar/chocolate overload!




Ok....so I feel like...no it is reality that we have had one to two birthday parties to attend for the kiddos every weeknd. We are blessed because we have done so many different things and the kiddos have the time of their lives. We have had Pump It Up, The Young Chef's Academy, Shankz (putt-putt), My Gym, SK8 Town, Chocolata, Build a Bear, and more to come in the next few weeks...Here is some recent photos from our friend Karson's at Chocolata (can we say sugar overload) and our sweet Emmy from Build a Bear...We love our friends!!!! These parties let us feel like a kid again too :)

Great friends, Good times...

We just spent two days with some of the nicest people I know and love...It went by so fast, but we had such a great time. I love the fact that you can go for a period of time without seeing some friends and when you finally do, it as if you were never apart. I have learned there are definite seasons for realtionships/friendships....some friends come and go and then there are the ones meant for a lifetime and THAT is what we have with the Millard clan. Even the kids acted as though they play together everyday. We had a great time getting soaked in the fountains, but the kids enjoyed being picked up in a big pink stretch limo and going to Sweet and Sassy. OK, Ok...So, Shannon and I enjoyed it just as much :) I have to say that our whole family was also blessed by their concert. As many times as we have seen MercyMe, Seth and I both agree that last night was by far the best show yet!!! We love you Uncle Bart, Auntie Shannon, Sam, Gracie, and CHARLIE ( that was meant to be said in a screaming voice because that is how Charlie talks...so cute!) We can't wait to meet the new baby girl in December. Awesome family!

If you have my myspace or facebook feel free to visit because I plan to post a ton more pics...I have so many so it is hard to choose which ones to post :)