story time

Eli loves a good story especially when it has places on each page to feel. Every time we sit down in this chair and I ask, "Do you want to read a book?" he always starts to laugh.








He loves to feel the book and turn each page for me.

kisses for mommy

For the past couple of weeks, Eli has really taken notice when Chris gives his mommy a kiss. Usually he looks up and laughs after Chris pecks me on the lips. This past Sunday Eli and I were sitting on the couch I'm not real sure how I got him to sit still and Chris came to kiss me goodbye before leaving. Of course, Eli laughed when he kissed me. So Chris kissed me again and again so Eli would keep laughing. Once Chris walked out of the room, Eli climbed up into my face and planting a huge, open mouth kiss right on my face and then laughed. I called Chris back into the room and then Eli did it again. There is nothing quite like a face full of slobbery kisses from your little one!

Now Eli loves to kiss his mommy whenever he sits still for a second.

to great friends!

the past couple of weekends we have shared in saying goodbye to two of our favorite people...lance and julia. they are venturing out of the hills of habersham into the land of derby days and louisville sluggers to attend seminary.

without lance and julia, chris and i may have never met and i sure wouldn't have such fond new year's eve's memories. they have been some of the closest friends we have had in habersham and God's country won't be the same without them here. besides my family, they were the first people i called when chris and i got engaged. and lance's response was probably my favorite of all people. julia helped welcome little eli into the world by taking pictures in the delivery room. i hope she will still want to have children one day :) i have shared more new year's eves with julia than my own husband (6 in a row, i think). we have so many memories with the two of them...from hanging out at the cabin, chilling at their house, hearing gun shots from "grilling bobby hicks", trips to louie's, working in the sweat shop watching elf, football games and more football games, rehashing football games, bible studies, d-now weekends, all the games we played-scattegories, operation, things, etc., lance and chris skinning a deer in thier matching overalls, fishing at the cabin and classified locations, horses biting fingers off, p.f. changs :), and we can't forget the first time chris and lance met...i'm just glad lance didn't punch him in the face like he wanted to. i think i could go on and on.

we love you both and wish God's blessings on you and your new journey. we know louisville will be a better place because you are there. now if only we could clone you so habersham can stay just as good!

three amigas on new year's eve

three amigos in the creek

sitting in my seat at their house
my first trout in the creekthe trampoline

africa

lance meeting eli

to the Blacks! thanks for all the great memories.

Mobile-part2

Here are a few more pics of our time in Mobile. I didn't do so good of a job taking pictures. I guess because my mother-in-law always has her camera in tote I slack off a bit. So I asked her to send me some pics so I could update the blog. Thanks, Grannie!

Watching Pawpaw play the piano.

Family photo with Maw and Paw

Paw and Eli

Grannie and Eli

Kate and Andre

Kate and Eli

Group shot-Akridges' and Smiths'

Mobile

Eli at his first Bay Bears game. Hanging out with Chris Jett.








Jackson playing wiffle ball.










Carter taking a break from wiffle ball.












Carter walking on water!

Eli swimming with his Grannie.












Eli and Carter.











Eli digging into some spaghetti.











Eli and Kate.

Eli with his greats!

Eli loved meeting MeeMaw. He loved climbing up into her lap.

Eli hanging out with Daddy and MeeMaw.

Eli loved his Paw. He would cry when anyone tried to take him from him.

Eli and Maw.

T-roy

On our way to Mobile, we made a pit stop in Troy to visit the Hawarah Family. Justin is one of Chris's roommates from college. We always try to see them during the summer during our trip to Mobile. We always have a lot of fun with them. Even during our short visit we enjoyed a great game of Balderdash! I laughed so hard my abs were sore the next day. Thanks for opening up your house to us--we love you guys!

Eli and Reese.

The boys and their offspring! And Justin has one more on the way.

Eli rocking out with Kiley's Mickey Mouse glasses on.
I think he loved being here even more than we did. They have some great toys.
I'm sure he was watching his daddy get whipped by Justin playing Horse.