Pure Sweetness!

Happy Birthday Tyler!

19 years ago today, I became a mom.  How can that be?!  That seems like only yesterday and I surely don't feel old enough to have an almost-20 year old!

Anyway Tyler, my first-born :), you are loved beyond words!  You made us "Mom" and "Dad."  You have taught us much, and continue to enlighten and inspire us daily.  When you came into the world, you opened our eyes to the world beyond ourselves.  You've brought sunshine, joy, and so much laughter.  You've endured being the "guinea pig," that we've practiced parenting on.  You've been the recipient of most our parenting mistakes and still, in spite of the ragamuffins we are, continue to make us proud.  I love your tender ways, your open loving affection that you're always ready to give us.  I love the way you love your baby sister.  I love that you're a man of your word, that you will not speak negatively of others, that you are a lover of the unlovely.  I love how you love nature, and have since you were a wee little boy.  I love how you get up before dawn, head into the woods to hunt, then come home describing the wonder you found in the world waking up in the morning, the beauty of the sun rays, and all the little details of  nature that you never fail to notice.  I love the way you persevere in the hard stuff.  I love your humility about your "hidden" talents (although it drives me crazy that you're not sharing them with the world...hint hint!).  I love your singing and your never-ending whistling.  I even love those crazy animal calls.  Dr. Doolittle had nothing on you.  I miss your going to your bedroom window, opening it, then proceeding to literally call into our backyard owls (in the day-time), turkeys, deer, or just about anything you wanted to see!  Who can do that?!  I love that you forego a huge, fun event at school to drive all the way home just to watch Nolan play a football game, then turn around and drive all the way back.  I love your sweet smile.  I love your hilarious laugh.  I love the integrity you choose to walk in.  I love how you forgive.

In some ways, it seems like forever ago that you were that little blue-eyed, tow-headed baby boy and I was the inexperienced "deer in the headlights"-mom wondering what in the world I was doing.  But in the flash of a moment, here you are...all grown up, making your way into adulthood, and I can hardly believe my eyes every time you come home from college to visit.  God has uniquely gifted you in so many ways, Tyler, and we believe you are only just beginning to unlock some of the hidden treasures God has knitted within you.  "His eyes search to and fro, throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of the one who's heart is fully devoted to Him."  His favor is surely upon you, Tyler.

I hope your day was a happy one!  I missed your singing and whistling around here...and yes, even your dang laundry!  Happy Happy 19th Birthday!!!  I'm glad you were born ;)!

KISSHUG!
Mom

Trick or Treat

Breakfast at Loveless Cafe

"Okay, let me lay here and let these Loveless biscuits and jam settle, and then I'm off to rack up on some candy!"

What a nerd!  We were laughing so hard, I almost fell down our stairs!

Macy Li with Nolan

This is her first "Trick or Treat" experience...Last year, we were at her brothers' football game.

She enjoyed the decorations and people's puppy-dogs more than anything!

After a couple of houses, she got the hang of it and off she went!

These are our next door neighbors.

What love!  We are so blessed!

Missin' my boy...

I sure am missing my first-born these days...Here's what he's been up to lately...

Jeff, Katie, Caleb and Ty at Auburn this past weekend...

Ty with his date...

Some of my favorite boys...I miss y'all!  Come home and let me cook for you! ;)

Freezing at the Auburn game...

Tyler and friends at Samford...

Clearly, he's enjoying himself at college!

Ty, with high school friend Ben, at Knoxville for the UT/AU game...

Caleb, Olivia, Jeff, Caroline, Tyler and Bethany--Reunion in Knoxville!

Ty, with his Samford buddies...

Mario, Ms. Peach, Barbie and Ken at Samford...

I love that he's having so much fun, but I sure do miss that boy...and all his buddies around here.  It's just not the same.  Macy Li is missing all of 'em, too.  This morning, she's been asking, "Where Ty-la go?  Where Ty-la go?"  Kills me :(

Silly Girl

A while ago, I came into the laundry room to find this...and I promise she put all this on by herself!

Notice she even put the under armour shirt on underneath!  

And this was taken a little while ago, before pajama time....

Recent & Random...

Chinese girl kissing pilgrim! ;)

Going to school with her beloved backpack!

She's into make-up these days!

She loves coloring...

...and reading to her dollies...

...and putting them to sleep on the playroom steps...

Here's Nolan getting his new Jeep :)

Next morning...Peyton and Nolan on their way to school.

More football...

Scissors, her latest obsession...along with coloring on her face...

Visiting the zoo...

...and the park...

I love my girl!

Joy!

Happy Birthday, Sissy!

Happy Birthday to my sister, Jennifer, who is 34 today!!!! Oh, to be so young again!  I love you, Sis!

Samford Family Weekend

This past weekend, we went down to Birmingham to visit with Tyler during "SU Family Weekend." Here are a few pics from that...

Tyler glad to see Macy Li at the hotel...

Macy Li's first visit to a Frat House...ha!

Tyler's friends in his very "neat" ;) dorm-room...

"Spike," the Samford Bulldog, who Macy Li was obsessed with!

Here's our friend from CPA, Connor #9-Samford QB

Breakfast before going home...

We had a fun weekend there, meeting all his new friends and catching up on college life there at Samford.  He's loving it and we're so thankful.  Mid-terms this week! :(

Homecoming

Fall means Homecoming.  Last night was their dance, and here is Nolan with his friend Peyton D. and their dates, Kendall and Kate.  Darling bunch, if I do say so myself....and sweet kids too!  Instead of the usual dinner at a restaurant, they got carry-out from a great restaurant and had a candle-light picnic at a picturesque, scenic spot overlooking the Nashville skyline...I'll hopefully get some of the girl's pictures of that and come back and post later today.

Peyton D., Nolan, Kendall and Kate

My Nolan, what a handsome young man!

Nolan's friends are all so sweet to Macy Li

She's just part of the group!

Nolan and Macy Li actually favor each other here, don't you think?

Kate made this her facebook profile pic...haha!

Last minute instructions...;)

Random

Time is flying and life is so full...I just wish I could slow down long enough to capture it all here.  Two of my friends, Suzanne and Renee, came home safely from Uganda today.  Thank you all who prayed for them over the past few weeks.  Josie Love will be coming home in the next 2-6 months.  Dana and Asher are awaiting more legal details to come together before they can come home.  Please pray that that will happen, as she's been there almost a month, with 3 kids here at home...hard.  They really need to wrap up their official appts. so that they can come on home.

As for us, we're just doing the "Football and Fried Rice" life!  Here are some snapshots of our life right now...

"

"Barbie and Ken" at Chi O's Famous Couples party...how cute are they?!

Go Lions!  Go #9

This daddy couldn't be more in love!

Little Lion fan

After last night's game...Nolan scored 2 touchdowns!

At Peyton's game today, jumpin' for joy!

Waitin' for Peyton