new life

Spring has sprung at the cabin. Two years ago on April 5th this place looked a lot different. For one thing it was really green (thanks to Dad) but the sun wasn't shining. Looking back now, I'm glad that day was overcast and rainy because that meant no gnats! There were also many people here celebrating the wedding of my sister and her wonderful hubby Josh. While Chris and I were walking around I was thinking about that day and how I know Big Mommy and Papaw were so excited that we used their place for that special day. Happy Anniversary Josh and Em!

This first pic is special because my grandmother planted these hydrangeas a long time ago and a couple of years ago during a late spring freeze this one died and hasn't come back since. This is the first time in 3 years that it has bloomed. I can't wait to see what it looks like!

The other hydrangea

shout out to my wonderful hubby!

This post is just to let Chris know how much I love him and how proud I am to be his wife. Four and a half years ago, I won the marriage lottery and there hasn't been a day that has gone by since where I have second guessed myself for marrying him. He is a great husband and now a great dad to Eli. I can't imagine my life without him in it. He truly is the person God hand picked for me. I hope the Lord blesses me with many more years as his wife! Here are some pics from our free time yesterday...

Can you tell where Eli gets his good looks?

my new trick

Chris has been teaching Eli a new trick. Here are some pics of Eli performing his new trick for his grandma. He really knows how to work the crowd.

Big boy!

Holding on for dear life.

easter

Eli with his adorable Easter outfit on at Mere's church

This year we spent Easter morning at Apostles with Meredith. Since she works at a church, she can rarely come home for a Sunday. It was such a blessing being there. I cry every time I here her sing. After church we headed to eat with family in Lawrenceville/Duluth. Eli enjoyed his time being passed around and loved on. As a new mother, I am really contemplating how to make sure Eli understands the importance of this holiday. Even more so than Christmas, this is a holiday that means everything to the Christian faith. Without Easter, we have no hope as believers for without Easter, death still has a sting. But now that Christ died for our sins, death no longer has a hold on us! Praise God for that if you to believe in Him. I want to make sure Jesus is the center of Easter for our family and that Eli understands what Easter is all about. Here are some pics from the day.

Eli posing with his Easter egg.

Eli's great uncle Don and his cousins showing him how to play ball. I can't wait for him to be able to play with his cousins.

Easter pic of us. I love Eli's face.

Eli with his great uncle Johnny.

Nana getting Eli to sleep after a LONG day of being loved on.

Still asleep.

Papa, Boo, and Eli by Papa's beautiful Cherry trees.

My favorite pic from the day.

what'll ya have!

Eli made his first trip of many to the Varisty in Athens this past week. Chris had a game in Athens, so Mom and I ventured east to have a wonderful spring day in Athens. We ate lunch outside at Marti's at Midday (is there any better place than Athens on a beautiful spring day?) and then checked out some local shops. Right before the game we decided to go for some ice cream at an old pharmacy, Hodgson's Pharmacy, in town only to find the place closed down. What a bummer! The pharmacy dates back to Mom's days in Athens as a beautiful ZTA in her hip-hugger jeans with long, Farrah Fawcett hair. Who knows when they truly closed. I haven't been on that side of town in at least a year.

After the close game, which we lost in the bottom of the 7th, we decided to drown our sorrows in some grease. What better way to mend a broken heart than eat some chili dogs, onion rings, and fries? (I'm sure many sad Dawgs fans have done this after a bad game.) As soon as we sat down, Eli reached for the chili dog and stuck his fingers right in. Yuck! I'm just glad we caught him before he stuck his fingers in his mouth. He loved the Varsity and we took some pictures of him with his hat on. I'm pretty sure I even saw a sad coach crack a smile when he saw this cute kid with his hat on.

What'll ya have?

Eli drooling over a chili dog and some fries.

in the blink of an eye...

i cannot tell you just how fast the past six months have flown by. i feel like just yesterday Eli was a little baby that couldn't do anything for himself. just today while trying to rock him to sleep he dropped his pacifier, reached down, grabbed it, and shoved it back into his mouth. i thought to myself, "who taught him how to do that and when did he really start doing that?"

also, the other day i sat him down sitting up and let go and he just chilled out sitting up! that totally caught me off guard. there are times when the past six months feel like an eternity (usually around 3:30 am) and other times when i think, "how can eli be 6 months already?"

the most common quotes i get from people are: "wow, he has such BIG eyes?", "look at his feet! they never stop moving.", and "bless him, he looks just like his daddy." (which i think is a compliment) and a couple of new things he is doing are: reaching for people, laughing out loud, napping in his jogging stroller the minute i start walking, singing and talking while riding in the car, holding his juice cup, and screaming if he doesn't like something. he has also become quite the mommy's boy, which is adorable and hard all at the same time.

yes, that is his big toe he is sucking. gross!

he fell asleep while holding his baseball.

sitting up. this smile looks like my sister emily to me but i also see chris's sister, kate, as well.

playing with his feet and drinking his juice.

no matter how many times i move him, this is the way he ends up while taking a nap. then he wakes up with red prints of his fingers on his forehead.

my little bird's perch

Thought these pics were too cute not to post. This is Eli's view at the baseball games. He loves to watch his daddy from up here as he coaches. It has been too cold to sit in the stands so we watch the game from the press box where there is heat and I can nurse. This child is truly being raised at the ballpark.