Hello world

While I teach Zeke things like his alphabet and the letter sounds, Spence has been busy teaching Zeke this:

My kid's smarter than yours :)

This is my version of those school bumper stickers. I am showing off a bit and bragging on my kid. This is Zeke at 2 years old saying his letter sounds. He messes up a bit on the U, but it's only because he named a word that starts with U instead of the letter sound. Yeah, he's gonna be smarter than me in a couple years...

a long time coming post

I have sat down to write this post countless times. I have tried to pull my thoughts together. I am still quite uncertain what to say. It still seems unfinished, but I don't know that I will feel a finished to this. I feel like I need to give a bit of back story and then talk a bit about now.



I didn't like Keva the first time I met her. That may sound harsh, but I can quite confidently say she didn't like me either. We were at our Cole Mill Rd campus and she was all tall and dressed really cute. She was questioning a policy that I had in our preschool ministry and I had to stand up to her. Now, if you are reading this you know me, I don't mind confrontation, but this chic was a little intimidating... (oh and if you are wondering, I won the fight)



Fast forward a couple months and we have a new couple in our small group. Yes, it is the very same Keva and her husband, Trevor. We walked through life for a little while ho hum in small group. We were friends, but didn't really dig into each other's lives a ton.



Fall 2007 our friendship went to a new place. Spence and I were about to meet with my doctors about fertility because we were having some trouble conceiving. We met with Keva and Trevor to talk with them and ask them to pray with us.



After we got pregnant with Zeke, Keva and I began having lunch dates at Chik-fil-A and those continued into playdates after having Zeke. We have been through quite a bit since the fall of 2007 with both families moving, adding 4 children between our two families, job changes, hard junk in marriage, pregnancies, seminary, and most recently grieving.



We have walked through some serious life together in the past year. It has made us better friends for which I will always be greatful. But really what I am most thankful for is how their frienship has spurred on and challenged mine and Spence's marriage, parenting and mostly our relationship with God.



We will continue to rejoice in our God with the Atwoods. We will continue to grieve, but not be overtaken by our emotions. We will run the race that God has for us. We will remember that we are not alone in this.



I have already written way more than I typically do, but I would like to leave you with a couple verses and a song:



"Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sit down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2



None But Jesus



In the quiet, in the stillness

I know that You are God

In the secret of Your presence

I know there I am restored

When You call I won't refuse

Each new day again I'll choose



There is no one else for me

None but Jesus

Crucified to set me free

Now I live to bring Him praise



In the chaos, in confusion

I know You're Sovereign still

In the moment of my weakness

You give me grace to do Your will

When You call I won't delay

This my song through all my days



All my delight is in You Lord

All of my hope, all of my strength

All my delight is in You Lord Forevermore

Dada's 28!!!

Happy birthday to the best husband and daddy! Spence, we tend to take you for granted, and we definitely don't thank you enough. Here is a snapshot of what this past year has been, it has definitely been a whirlwind.

Three boys

Ben getting bigger

playing together

Your second boy!

teaching him about playground fun

my favorite pic of you two

making Zeke's day

hanging out with your first born

snow day

playing with Zeke

Scaring the life out of me

Your 27th year was pretty crazy, I can't wait to see what 28 will bring! I love you!

Jace Christopher Little

The boys and I got to meet my baby brother's first baby last night. It is so weird to think of him and Michelle as parents, but we are oh, so excited for them! Zeke was super cute. He kept saying "Hey there, Jace! How ya doin? Wanna go play? Play baseball, soccer ball, tennis ball? Play at YaYa's?" Ben, well, Ben didn't love Mommy holding anyone else so much, but he suffered through me getting a few newborn squeezes in. It was so weird to hold a big newborn. Michelle is a rockstar. This chunk weighed in at 8lb 14 oz. Yeah, seriously that is 2 lbs bigger than my biggest kid at birth. Michelle may just be my newest hero. Here are some sweet pictures I have stolen of the super cute newest addition to the Little clan.

Proud daddy

Proud PawPaw
totally different from 4 years ago when he held his first grandbaby

My boys hamming it up for the camera

Trying to convince Zeke to give him a kiss, and not sure what Bubba was doing to Ben...

Toddler Park

Last week was kinda cloudy so we headed to the toddler park since it wasn't super hot. This was the first time I let Ben down and just go wild on his own. And boy did he!

I'm gonna get you Zeke!

Here comes Ben!

Stairs? No problem!

This is the best picture of his teeth that I have. He has two more on the top though

Sweet baby!

You turn your back for 5 minutes...

Parent Commissioning 2.0

I just got these pictures that were taken on Ben's Parent Commissioning. They are so great and I am so glad that Amy was running around taking pictures. Thanks, Sarah for planning it and Amy for snapping them :)

Proud Daddy

Shelton Family

This is four of the staff babies born in 2009.

Birthday Cookie

At Zeke's party the wind was blowing too much for us to light the candles. We decided to light candles on Zeke's cookie. He loved the attention again and thought the cookie was yummy too.

Zeke shares better than Spence ;)

That's one big cookie!

Summer Sweetness

I challenge anyone to find cuter faces than these:

Big Boy Ben

Ben has pretty much decided that he only loves real food. As in, he doesn't really like baby food and most days is refusing to nurse but maybe twice a day. With him feeding himself, meals have gotten messier and longer.

He loves to point

Chowing down

While taking some pictures for Zeke on his birthday, Ben just had to join in:

Love that paci!

SO BIG!

Typical Ben face

2 year stats

Zeke had his 2 year check up on Monday. He is such a trooper. He got two shots, a finger prick, and a nasal mist. Reese's Pieces made all that better :)

UPDATE: Totally forgot to put up Zeke's stats, call it a definite mommy brain moment.

Height: 33.75 inches (35%)
Weight: 28.6 lbs (60%)
Head: 49 cm (60%)

Doesn't he just scream "Summer TIME"?

"I'm TWO!"

Zeke's new trick

Zeke and Spence have been working on a new trick. They first saw it here. Thanks, Dustin, really...

Up, Up and Away

We celebrated Zeke's special day on Saturday at the RDU airport observation deck. It was a huge hit! Zeke loves this place and we visit it often, so it totally made since to have his party there. We had lots of family and friends join us to celebrate Zeke's second birthday. We watched planes, sang and had cake and then packed up. We let Zeke open his gifts at home through out the afternoon at a leisurely pace. He was able to thoroughly explore each gift before moving on. He loved everything he got and we are so thankful for such thoughtful gifts from everyone. Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes to Zeke through facebook, texts, cards, or coming to his party. He was definitely loved on.

Family photo op (yes I made my boys dress cute because I knew we would take a pic)

This is the observation deck

Some of the kids checking out the planes

The YaYa and Nana

Guests chilling

Isa and Zeke scoping out planes

Auntie Belle and Uncle Bubba were able to come

(you can't tell from this pic but Belle is about to POP with a baby due in a couple weeks)

The Atwood Family

My neighbor made the cake

Yeah, that's right I said she made it. Let me know if you want her info...

I made airplane cookies and iced them with the kids names for their favors.

Happy Birthday, Zeke!

Spence wrote this for Zeke in the area where we did the cake

Zeke looked at everyone while we sang

He loved opening gifts

Holt's gift wins best wrapping- toilet paper tissue and drawings by Holt

He knew exactly what to do

And even let Ben help a little