Flag Football 2011

Ry Ry is playing his first season of flag football and LOVING it.  He is also AWESOME.  He's quick and smart, and is the best player on his team, the Panthers.  Even against the best team in the league, he gets at least one touchdown.  The added bonus to flag football is that Daddy's the coach!  Ry and Daddy have so much fun preparing for practice/game day.  Every Sunday, they head to Durham for practice from 3:30-4:30, and a game from 4:30-5:30.  Madeline, Lilly, and I head to the game at 4:30.  We LOVE watching our Ry Guy!

Run Ry, run!  Can you tell he's wearing a mouth guard?

No. . .good defensive move, Ry!

Our natural athlete.

Get that flag, Ry!

Y Princess Camp--Madeline and Daddy

The day after sweet Lilly Grace came home, Daddy and Madeline left for Camp Seagull.  Though it was a hard decision to leave Lilly, it was SUCH a special time for Daddy and Madeline.  Here's our girl, just strolling.

The daddies know how to EAT.  Their adventures with the Playful Otters always involve good food.  Here's Madeline chomping on a piece of watermelon.

You go girl. . .kick that ball.

Madeline and Alexa enjoying ice cream sundae's together.

Madeline and her sweet, tribe friends, Sarah Gray and Lauren.

Madeline, Sarah Gray, and Lauren. . .all homeschooled and precious girls.

Opening Ceremonies for Camp. . .the flags are going up.

Nighttime campfire fun!

Madeline and Audrey.  Grow those teeth baby girl!

On Sunday, Daddy and Madeline RAN an entire 5K together.  She's holding up the patch she earned.

Madeline, Sarah Gray and Lauren.

Madeline on the zipline.  Whoo-hooo!

Madeline was amazing with a BB rifle. She knocked off 6 targets! Now she wants a rifle of her own.

A very tired Madeline and Dad. Madeline only took three short walk breaks and ran most of the race. She wowed her Dad with her determination.

She's Arrived

As almost everyone knows, Lillian Grace is home. After 13 months from the time we began filling out paperwork, the Lord brought us the child He had for us all along. As I have told many people, though the wait seemed like forever, I would have waited even longer just to have this baby, Lilly Grace. From the moment I laid eyes in her, she was mine, securely planted in my heart. The moment I saw her was like the moment Madeline and Ry were placed on my belly after delivering--I experienced the same rush of emotions.

In the late afternoon on Tuesday, I got a call from the director of the adoption agency. We had been chosen, BUT the paternal grandmother really wanted the birthparents to keep the baby, and insisted that the birthparents at least meet us. The director asked us if we would be available to meet them the next afternoon. And she told me not to tell anyone about this. I immediately called Matt, who was in Charleston, and told him that he needed to be home by 4pm the next day, which he was excited to do. When we arrived at the agency on Wednesday, we were early, so we drove to a parking lot and prayed over our time with the birth parents.

Squirrel Fun

For Easter, we were thrilled to join the Sullens at the Battle House on UNC's campus.  They direct the Baptist Student Ministries there, and we were excited to enjoy Easter lunch with them and some college students.  The adults were still at the table when Madeline came running in, shouting that Ryan had caught a squirrel.  Of course I did not believe her at first, but she was insistent.  I decided that I must go and see.  About a month ago, I told Ryan that if he could catch a squirrel, he could keep it.  That's a safe thing to say as a parent, right?  I mean, who can catch a squirrel. . . . . . . .well. . .our son managed to catch a squirrel.  I could not believe my eyes when I walked outside and saw Ryan holding a baby squirrel.  Of course we told him to put it down and let it be, but this little squirrel did not want to be let be.  Upon placing it on the ground, it scurried up a tree, only to come down and play on the top of Madeline's shoes.  After a period of time, Madeline picked it up and laid it in her lap.  The little guy was very content to be in her lap.  After about 30 minutes, it was hot, so Madeline decided to relocate to the front porch.  She placed the squirrel in the tree and began to walk to the front porch.  What did the squirrel do, you ask?  It followed Madeline all the way to the porch, waiting for her to pick it up.  So. . .we brought it up to the porch and just held it and pet it.  At one point, it crawled underneath Matt's shirt to find a cozy place to nest.  Of course there was no way we were taking the squirrel home.  As we were packing the car, Matt and Madeline placed the squirrel in the tree and walked away.  Again, the squirrel scurried down the tree and bounded after Madeline.  Again, we tried to place the squirrel in the tree, and again it bounded after Madeline.  So, then we took it home with us.  It fell asleep in a box on my lap, and it was at that moment that I fell in love with it.  On the way home we stopped at PetCo for food, and then stopped at our vet's/friend's house.  She informed us, that domesticating a squirrel was a very bad idea, and that we needed to contact a wildlife rehabilitator.  As soon as we got home, we contacted the rehabilitator, and scheduled a pick up.  We soon found out that the squirrel was 6 weeks old, and that its mom had probably died, and it had ventured out of the nest to find food and water.  It likely had other siblings.  So now, this adorable squirrel is going to be raised with another squirrel family for the next 6 weeks and then released into the wild.  Of course, that night, Madeline sobbed.  To help her through her grief, we have a stuffed squirrel arriving from Amazon tomorrow. . .so funny what you will do for your children!

Madeline and Ryan were SO gentle with the squirrel.  They both have great tenderness for animals.  It's really special to watch.

There she is, eating Kix cereal (the food at PetCo ended up being a waste of money. . .she just liked cereal).

We were actually able to hand feed it!

Confession. . .Matt and I were heartbroken to watch the dear squirrel go!  It was really a special and bonding time with our family.

Madeline's Baptism

My handsome little man.  He was so excited for his big sister.  He kept a look-out for her.  Their bond is so sweet, and so special.  My prayer for them is that they will be best friends, and like iron sharpening iron.

The joy of all joys was marked on Saturday, April 23rd, 2011.  Our baby girl was baptized.  For over a year she has expressed an interest in being baptized.  She knows Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  She knows He bore all of her sins on the cross, that He died, and was raised again 3 days later, that she may live for eternity in Heaven with Him.  We pray for her that the Lord will blanket her with His Holy Spirit, that He will grow her in maturity, that He will give her a love for His Word, a heart for prayer, and a desire to go out and make disciples of all nations.  Praise God for this life, given over to Him.  As a Christ-following parent, there is no greater joy than when your child accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  

Ryan and his friend Braden (if you can recognize Braden from the back).

What a joy these two college girls are.  Just recently we have been meeting together on a regular basis.  They blessed us by coming to Madeline's baptism and giving her a very thoughtful gift.  You can probably tell from the picture that these are two very special young women.  Marissa, in purple, is going to be our houseguest this summer, and we are SO excited.

Had to include this picture and the one below.  What an AWESOME reaction this young man had to being baptized!!!

Oh my goodness, look at the expression on her face.  You can tell that she is scared, excited, and nervous, all in one.

Jeremy, the Summit's Kids' Pastor, baptized Madeline.

Good job holding your nose, sweet thing.  Of course, you must know, that your Mommy and Daddy are balling right now.  What a joy to witness.

This is Madeline with her AWESOME Elementary Church Teacher, Mr. Tyler.  He specifically made sure he was there to watch.  What a blessing he is!