The Greatest Love of All

Happy Valentines Day!  I hope everyone had a fantastic day, whether you are married, dating, single, or whatever! Isn't Valentine's Day such a commercialized holiday?  Do we REALLY need a special day just to tell the people that we are closest to that we love them?  No!  We should tell them every day. 

I have to say, though, I was pleasantly surprised when my husband showed up at my work today with a vase full of pink and white roses, a sweet card, and a bag full of hershey hugs (my fav!).  The flowers are beautiful and I'm very thankful for his thoughtfulness.  The flowers will be bringing me a little bit of happiness in my cubicle all week long.  So don't get me wrong, Valentine's day can bring enjoyment but it shouldn't be the only time that we make people feel special or tell them that we love them!  

But more than that, as Christians, we're all called to share the greatest love of all- the love of God.  We're called to share this message every day, but I would think that on the day where "LOVE" is the focus, it's an especially appropriate time for Christians to share their love story with their Savior.  "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

I could go on, but I'd like to share one of my favorite songs by Third Day.  It's appropriately titled "Love Song" and the images are from the movie "The Passion of the Christ". 

One of my OTHER favorite Third Day songs is called "Don't You Know I've Always Loved You".  The lyrics of that one are just as good...

Greater love has not a man 

Than the one who gave his life to prove

That he would do anything

And that's what I'm gonna do for you

Don't you know I've always loved you

Even before there was time

Through you turn away, I tell you still, 

Don't you know I've always loved you. 

And I always will. 

I'm thankful this day for the love of my husband, family, friends, etc. but I'm especially thankful for the greatest love of all- the love of God and His gift of salvation. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Kate got her very FIRST Valentine in the mail last week from her Nana in Indiana.  And the first thing she did with it was stick it in her mouth.  Her first Valentine was followed quickly by her first Valentine from a BOY (baby Bennett).  Wish I'd thought to send out Valentines but I guess I'm not that on-top of things!

Here is Kate enjoying her first Valentine.  Forget the dollar, she wants to eat the card!

I took a few quick pictures of my little Valentine tonight because I wasn't sure if I'd get a chance tomorrow.  So since I didn't actually print out and send Valentines, here is OUR Valentine to YOU!

After our mini photo-shoot, Kate enjoyed a little Daddy quality time. You know, jumping on the couch, getting thrown up in the air, and then reading bedtime stories.

This post is a bit picture heavy and lacking in the words, but I'll catch up tomorrow on what we've been up to.  Mostly though, it's just been the same old same old.  Life is busy, but life is good!  Happy Valentines Day to you all!  Hope tomorrow is GREAT!

A Look Back at 2011

I have a confession to make.  I have a bad memory.  Sometimes that's a GOOD thing, but sometimes it's a not so good thing.  So as I started writing this post, I definitely had to go back to my pictures to see what we were up to in 2011.   I can remember some of the BIG stuff, but here is some of the other things we were doing...

January 2011:
Well we had one of the biggest snow storms that I can remember.  Kevin and I were literally stuck in our house for 3 days.  It was actually kind of nice.  No place to go, nothing to do.

We also STARTED the adoption process in January when we submitted our initial application to Bethany Christian Services.  Wow.  Was that really just one year ago?

February-April 15, 2011:
Honestly, I don't have time for picture taking during this time of year.  Due to this being my busy season at work, this period of time during 2011 was spent in an office.  It's sad that I looked through my pictures and had a grand total of ZERO pictures for these few months, but it's true.

In other news, somehow Kevin and I had the time to complete tons and tons of paperwork for our formal application for the adoption, and we were also able to start and complete our home study.  We were officially approved and waiting as of April 4th, 2011!!

April 2011:
At the end of April, my mom and I went to visit my grandmother in Charleston.  Kevin and I also spent a lot of time catching up on some R&R and spending some time with family at my parent's lake house.  To say that the dogs enjoy the water is a bit of an understatement.

May 2011:
In May we went to hike the Rainbow Falls trail at Jones Gap State Park.  We had great weather, but when we got to the waterfall at the top, it was pretty cold.  Lots of fun though.

June 2011:
At the beginning of June, we got an email about a baby boy that had been born just a few days earlier. We were asked if we would like for the birth mother to consider us as potential adoptive parents.  We said yes, and were excited to think that this COULD be our child.  The birth mother chose a different couple, but it really sank in that we could get "THE CALL" at any time.  So, we really got motivated to get a nursery ready.

After getting lots and lots of questions from people asking how they could help us with our adoption, we started our Adoption Puzzle fundraiser.  We still can't believe the number of people who wanted to help with our adoption, and are so grateful for each and every one of them.  THANK YOU again.

We took the youth to a Braves game in June, and got stuck in a HUGE rain storm on the way home.

I started this blog in June.  You can read my very first post HERE.

And last, but certainly not least, we found out about Kate on June 29th when our adoption worker called me at work and asked if there was any way to also get Kevin on the line!! She told us about Kate's birth parents and asked if we'd be willing to drive to Raleigh, NC to meet them.  :)

July 2011:
In July, we made the trip to Raleigh, NC to meet with Kate's birth parents. Click here to read about getting matched.  While we were in Raleigh, we stopped by the UNC campus so Kevin could take pictures in front of Dean E. Smith Center (where the Tar Heels play basketball).  We also went by the football stadium.  It was unlocked so we were able to walk right on inside.

The night before we went to Raleigh, Kristi, Kevin and I went to Clemson to eat at Cook Out and go back through campus.  While we were out, our house got struck by lightening and TONS of stuff inside our house was destroyed (TV's, AC Unit, well pump, etc).

August 2011:
One of the best months of my life!

We had a couple of baby showers to get ready for Kate.

We went to a Hillsong United concert, and then...

Kate was born on August 10th.  We got to meet her on August 11th, which was mine and Kevin's 4 year anniversary.  Best anniversary present ever.  We brought Kate "home" on August 12th and then spent almost 2 weeks in a hotel room in Raleigh, NC before we were able come back home to SC.  I know I say this a lot, but Kate has been such a blessing.

September 2011:
This month was all about Kate.  I was able to spend the entire month at home with Kate.  It was so great, and I love being a Mommy.  Kate got to meet lots of family, experience her first football Saturdays supporting Clemson and Georgia, and she turned one month old!

With the help of some of our great friends, we also held a HUGE community yard sale.

October 2011:
I went back to work at the beginning of October, and that was a big adjustment.  During the rest of the month, Kate got to go to her FIRST football game (although we didn't take her into the stadium), she started smiling, she got to experience her first Halloween as a watermellon, and she turned 2 months old!!

In keeping with our fall tradition, Kevin, Kristi and I also went to two away football games.  We went to Tennessee to watch Georgia play Vanderbilt and then went to Atlanta to watch Clemson play Georgia Tech.

I also wrote this blog about my top 10 baby items.

Oh October, you were a very busy but very fun month.

November 2011:

We went to our annual staff & leadership retreat at Bonclarken in November.  We also celebrated our first Thanksgiving as a family of three... first with Kevin's family and then with mine.  At my parent's house, Kate met her cousin Christopher and then we all went to pick out a Christmas tree.  Lastly, Kate turned 3 months old!

Oh, and I wrote this blog about the ways life has changed with a baby. 

December 2011:
It's hard to believe that another year has past.  December literally FLEW by.  It seems like last weekend was Thanksgiving, not Christmas.  This month, Kate turned 4 months old, she was in her first Christmas parade, and we celebrated Christmas with TONS of family and friends. Two days after Christmas, I turned 27.  And now, I'm writing this post to close out the year.

2011 was such a great year, filled with lots of surprises and great news.  I sincerely hope that 2012 is just as good as 2011.  It has a lot to live up to!

Kate's First Christmas - Part 3

We left my parent's house around 3ish on the 26th to head home.  Kevin wanted to check on something at Best Buy so we stopped there on our way home.  BIG mistake.  Kate woke up just as we pulled into the parking lot, and was so ready to get out of her car seat and have a bottle.  Kevin hurried into Best Buy while I tried to occupy Kate in the car.  I pulled out just about every Christmas toy she received.  The one that worked the best was her Baby Einstein octopus that was a gift from Kristi.  It plays music if you squeeze his head and it names the colors on each of the tentacles. 

We made it home around 5ish and fed Kate her bottle.  She was exhausted so she was content to just sit in her Boppy and chill out.  

And then we opened OUR presents. Kevin got a golf club, tennis shoes, a couple of DVDs, and some clothes.  Kevin wrapped all of my Christmas and birthday gifts together and since my birthday was just the next day, he told me to just open it all.  He gave me a sewing machine, a new bible, and matching palm tree earrings and necklace.  So pretty!  I'm also super pumped about my new bible.  I've had the same bible since high school and I love it, but it's so big and heavy.  Not a problem when all I had to bring to church was myself, my purse, and my bible, but now you add in a baby in a 12 lb carrier and her diaper bag, and my hands are FULL.  He got me a small bible that will fit in my purse, or in Kate's diaper bag.  And it's so pretty too. 

Kate got a Baby Bullet, and a few other small toys and small things she needed.  She's 4.5 months old.  There's not much she needs right now, and she's just now figuring out the toy thing. We all had a great Christmas just being around family and friends. 

PS- I'll probably blog more about the Baby Bullet soon.  Does anybody have experience with it? 

And then it was bedtime, and by this point Kate was thinking "Mom, PLEASE no more pictures."  I have a feeling she WILL be saying that at some point in the future.

And so that wraps up Christmas 2011 for us.  I think it was fitting that our last Christmas celebration was for our family of three.  I have to say that this has been one of the BEST Christmas's ever.  It's been such a memorable December, celebrating Christmas with Kate for the very first time.  Since she's only 4.5 months old, she had no clue what was going on.  This Christmas was more for us than it was for her.  I imagine next Christmas will be even more crazy and exciting, but I hope that through the actions and words of Kevin and myself, she'll learn the true meaning of Christmas.  It's not about the presents, and it's not even about spending time with family and friends.  It's about a baby.  It's about Jesus.  All of those other things are BECAUSE of Jesus.  

I realize that we're 5 days past Christmas, but the celebration that comes with Christmas should be an all-year thing.  The thanksgiving for the true meaning of Christmas should carry over into January, and February, and March....  And THAT is what Christmas is all about. 

Wishing you all one more Merry Christmas from our family to yours, 

Kate's First Christmas- Part 2

On Christmas morning, we woke up at home in our own beds.  Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, so we held off on opening any of our presents and headed to church to celebrate the reason that we celebrate Christmas at all.  Kevin did the message on Sunday and we read the Christmas story.  We sang a few Christmas songs and took part in the Lord's Supper.  It was a great service and I was honestly surprised at how full that the auditorium was.  It was so much fun and so meaningful to spend Christmas Sunday worshiping with a group of believers.  I'm so thankful for the TRUE meaning of Christmas.  So thankful for God's unfailing love and mercy, that He would choose to send us His Son, as a perfect sacrifice for our sins so that we may be forgiven.

"And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:21

After church on Sunday, we decided to drive straight to my parent's house.  We debated going home to open our presents to each other, but with a baby you have to plan around bottle times. :) Kate had just had a bottle so we had just enough time to make the trip.  She actually slept the whole way down there.

We got to my parent's house just in time for a BIG lunch.... and I do mean big. Turkey and dressing, macaroni cheese pie, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, sweet potato casserole, crescent rolls, chocolate eclair, etc. YUMMY.  I ate way too much, but it was so good.  Kate was STILL asleep at this point.  All of these Christmas's were wearing her out.  She slept from about 11:30ish until almost 2:30, which is a really long nap for her. She woke up just in time to open presents.  

After all of the present-opening, it was time to relax and be lazy.  A couple of our friends dropped by to say hey, and we watched a movie that night (Columbiana- It wasn't very good. I wouldn't suggest it.)  Kevin and I TRIED to go look at Christmas lights, but either nobody was home, or nobody remembered to turn their lights on, or nobody really decorated their houses this year.  Maybe we just didn't know where to go look but regardless of the reason, we were out of luck.

My birthday is really today (Tuesday) but we celebrated it with my parents and sister on Monday.  The past few years Kevin and I have had to come back home on Christmas day, so we end up splitting Christmas with my birthday.  Usually the first 1/2 of the day is "Christmas" and the second 1/2 of the day is "Kelley's birthday".   This year we got to do it on two separate days. :)

And after all of this, Kevin went to the driving range to try out one of his new presents (a driver), my Dad went rabbit hunting, and the girls (Mom, Kristi, Kate and me) went to town to goof off.  We ended up at the mall and found some GREAT deals for Kate. ($1.99 pants and shirts, yes please!)  She is growing like a weed, so we went ahead and bought some bigger sized clothes for her to grow in to. 

We all got back to the house around lunchtime and pulled out the leftovers.  After a quick meal, we loaded up the car to head back home.  It seemed like a quick trip, but I loved being back in my home town and in the house I grew up in.  My house with Kevin definitely feels like home, but there's just something special about "going home" to Mom and Dad's. 

And it looks like it's going to take a 3rd post to wrap up all of our Christmas fun.  The last Christmas to blog about is OUR Christmas, which was also special since this was our first Christmas as a family of three.  I promise that will be the LAST Christmas post, because then I have more to blog about... probably next on the list will be my birthday. 

Until then, 

Kate's First Christmas- Part 1

To start, looking back on the past few days I really wish I had taken more pictures, but I was so busy ENJOYING the Christmas season with family and friends, I didn't think to pick up the camera but a few times. Oh well.  Live and learn. Even without the pictures, I'll have my memories to look back on!

Our Christmas has actually been spread over a few days.  We got started on Friday when we celebrated Christmas with Kevin's family at Kevin's brother's house.  We had lots of fun, and Kate even got to meet 3 of her cousins that she hadn't gotten a chance to meet yet.  Here are a few cute pictures from Friday.

Friday was just the beginning of Kate getting "spoiled".  Over the past few days, she's been constantly held and rocked, has stayed up late, and honestly hasn't even had to cry because she's gotten everything she wanted when she wanted.  I'm thinking the next few days will be an adjustment for her as we get back into our normal routine.  Needless to say, Kate had a great Christmas, without any of the gifts.  I don't feel bad about any of the "spoiling" though.  You only get one first Christmas with your first child. :) 

We had church on Sunday morning, so we planned to stay at our house on Saturday (Christmas Eve) and then go to my parent's house on Sunday right after church.  BUT, we decided to surprise my parents on Saturday and just show up.  They always have an oyster roast on Christmas Eve that starts mid-afternoon and lasts until the last person leaves.  So when we got to their house about 12 and pulled into the driveway, they were busy getting things ready for the party and didn't see us pull up.  We knocked on the door and heard my mom say "come on in". When we walked around the doorway and went into the kitchen her reaction was priceless!  It almost looked like we scared her!  My dad was in the back yard getting things ready so we had to surprise him next.  He was pretty happy about us being there too! My mom said that was the best Christmas present ever, and my dad had actually been telling her earlier in the day that this would be the first Christmas eve that I wasn't at home.  I think we could say it was a nice surprise for them... and for us!  

We brought the "boys" with us and actually stopped by the lake house on our way to my parent's.  We had to let Max and Cooper get in the lake.  This was the first time we'd been able to bring them since the 4th of July.  Normally we take them to the lake pretty often during the summer months, but because of Kate we didn't get the chance to bring them as often as we wanted.  It wasn't exactly cold outside, but they didn't seem to mind that it wasn't 100 degrees outside either. 

We were able to stay at the party until about 5:30 before we had to drive back to our house.  We got to see Jillian and Jonathan, and their baby boy Bennett.  Bennett is about 6 weeks younger than Kate and is a cutie.  And of course, Kate got to spend some time with her Gigi, Papa Rick and Aunt Kristi.  Here are a couple of pictures from the oyster roast...

We left my parent's house at 5:30 and then went to celebrate our 3rd Christmas in 2 days, again at Kevin's brother's house.  We were so exhausted that we didn't stay a long time but again we had fun.

We finished celebrating Christmas today, December 26th.  I'll post Part 2 tomorrow to recap Christmas day and today, but for now I'm heading to bed.  Traveling is exhausting! :)

Oyster Roast & Rivalry Weekend

And here is what we were up to the rest of our Thanksgiving weekend.

After all of our Christmas Tree shopping and train riding we headed home to eat leftover Thanksgiving food for lunch.  The guys got home from golf and then we all started getting ready for an oyster roast.  :)

Some of our friends came over and Kate got to meet her future boyfriend, baby Bennett!

While the rest of the crowd was outside eating oysters and standing around the fire, my cousin's little boy was my little helper with Kate.  He got to give her a bottle and help with her bath.  He LOVED it...

And after bath time, Kate got to spend some quality time with my Uncle Jay and her Gigi.

And then it was bedtime... for Kate! The next day, all of the family headed home.  Some were on their way to the Clemson/USC game (which did not turn out well for us Clemson fans).  Our family has both Clemson AND USC fans so we had to get a picture of us all decked out in our collegiate gear...

And of course we had to get one last picture of the cousins...

After everybody headed out, my mom, Kristi, and I put all of the lights on our Christmas tree and then Kevin and I packed up our car to go home.  We had a busy few days, but it was so much fun seeing family and spending time with sweet friends.  So, that was Thanksgiving 2011!  Hope you all had as much fun as we did.  We have LOT to be thankful for.  God is good!