Happy 1st Birthday Titus!!

Dear Titus,

It is almost your first birthday and I wanted to write you a special letter before I went to bed tonight. I cannot believe it is already your first birthday. It seems like just yesterday I was calling your mimi every 30 minutes trying to find out how your mommy's labor was going. It was tough not being there on your "birth" day and I feel the same way today.

I will never forget the first time we met at the airport. You were so cute and we were so glad to finally get to meet you. Your mommy had you dressed so cute! You are such a sweet and go with the flow little guy!

We want you to know that even though many miles separate us...you have lots of people here that love you! We would love to be at your party and watch you smash your little cake. We can't wait to see all your pictures.

We are so proud of the little boy you are becoming and we can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do in your life as you grow. We think you're great!!

Love,

Uncle Kev, Aunt Jue-Jue, Ella and Eliza

Date Night

Last night I had a hot date with the hubs...and my little side kick (aka eliza)! I had gone out for a few hours on Thurs. night by myself and I kept checking my phone thinking that Kev would call if things weren't going so well (this is probably the first time I'd done that since eliza was born!) Finally, I decided to call and check and he said she'd been crying for almost 2 hours. She never cries! He tried everything. He was a little frazzled at that point..which I would have been too. I asked why he didn't call and he said he was trying to give me some time away! So sweet. Needless to say I rushed home as fast as I could. Little missy gave me the stare down...like where have you been...I have cried my heart out face...so needless to say she earned a spot on mommy and daddy's date!

Kev teaches our Sunday School class and is teaching through the Song of Songs right now. I have to admit that I was a nay-sayer at first. A while back he started saying he felt led to do a marriage study and then he decided to teach straight through Song of Songs. I kept trying to discourage him from it and encourage him to just stick with a practical "biblical" marriage study. He'd done it before and I sure those old lessons could be revisited and "tweaked!" Thankfully he listened to what the Lord was leading and not what his wife was saying. I'd read parts of Song of Songs before, but all that flowery, poetic language amidst topics that will make you blush really didn't seem "practical" enough to me. I am really proud of the digging and learning that he has done and is doing and each week the flowery, poetic language makes more sense after having it explained. I feel like we are both learning a lot. Each week we have had some homework/discussion questions and some dating challenges. The good thing about your husband being the teacher is that he can't tell others to do something without us doing it. So we have had to really work at this.

Last night we went on our date. He planned it all! Just like when we were dating. He didn't tell me where we were heading and even let me buy a new shirt to wear. I was really excited. There was no (where do you want to go, I don't care, where do you want to go, I don't know)! There was a plan! I love a date plan! We went ate here...we both like Italian and haven't been there in years!

He told me to chose his meal and he'd chose mine. I am someone who normally gets the same thing every time I go to a restaurant! At first I wished I could just get something I knew I liked (Chicken Parmesan), but trying something new might be fun too! I ordered him this.

It is the mixed grill! He ordered me this!

It is thee four cheese stuffed pansotti with chicken! Of course we enjoyed the bread and salad too! My dish was great! I was stuffed! We had great dinner conversation and eliza hung in there for the most part.

After dinner Kev took me to get one of my favorite coffee drinks! It is a Gloria Jeans cookies and cream frozen chiller! It is sooooooooo good! I hadn't had one in years!

Can you say stuffed and calorie overload! I don't even want to know!

When we got home and got the girls to bed kev surprised me and pulled out a movie I'd mentioned that I wanted to to see! It was pretty good but so sad. I was thinking it was a comedy, but it was definitely a drama! My date fell asleep early in the movie! Poor thing...he is such an early bird and I am such a night owl!

It was a great a refreshing time! We need to spend more time out on dates... time when we are not barking orders to each other, having to discipline children, and really able to talk and enjoy being together!

When was the last time you had a date? Make a plan for one next week!

Funnies

Ella is our funny girl. She is at the age that she is learning so much and constantly saying funny things. Usually everyday she says something that I think, "I really need to write that down so we can remember it!"

Yesterday when she saw her sissy after getting a bath she said, "well there's my sweetheart!"

Every time she gets hurt...even the little scratch she starts repeating over and over..."It"ll go away..ten minutes, it'll go away...ten minutes!"

She loves to bother sissy. Daily she goes up and points to her cheeks and says, "Cheeks, one, two three four cheeks...so cute!" Usually there is a pinch in there somewhere!

She thinks coffee and coughing are the same thing. We got my mom a coffee gift card for her birthday and she kept saying coffee good...followed by a big cough!

Whenever she gets scared she starts repeating, "mommy got you, mommy got you!"

Sat. we were in the car and my mom asked her if she was mimi's sweet girl and to our surprise she said. "I not sweet girl!" Mimi asked again and so did mommy and she let us know that she was not a sweet girl! The things they do to!

She loves her cousins...all of them. Yesterday all day she was in an internal battle with her cousin Jackson. She kept fighting with him all day...except we didn't even see him yesterday. She'd have a toy and start saying, "No Jackson, dat's mine!" This went on all day! I think those two have a love/hate relationship going because she sure does love him!

She remembers everything. All I have to do is tell her what I need to get at Target and amazing she remembers every time!

I am sure there are more that I will remember as the day goes along. Kids are so funny!

*****Of course I remembered others that I meant to add! She is in the "I do all by myself!" stage...that's a fun one!

She is also still confused about what happened to Christmas! Poor Child asks me every day where Santa Claus went and "where da trees go?" She is so baffled about it! I will never take down Christmas decor after putting her to bed again!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

The "Moore" Girls

Cute Little Mimi

Mimi and eliza

Mimi and Titus. This is at the airport...and yes those

are tears of happiness.

Mimi and her very first grandchild at the fair!

Me and mom

Mimi wrestling a wild little ella!

Today is my mom's Birthday! It's funny because I call her mimi more than I call her mom these days. God graced my life when he made her my mom. She is and has been a wonderful mother and friend to me. She is the kind of mom who gives and gives and gives to her family. She is the heart of our family. How can I describe my mom to you? Let's see...her day begins early every day. I am talking like 3:45am or 4:00 am. That is her wake-up time. Yes, I do think she is crazy. She is naturally an early bird and always has been. In fact, I cannot recall one day of my 22 years living in her home when I woke up before her. She was always up before us. Oh, how I wish I could do that. She gets up early and has made this her life's routine in order to have time with the Lord. You will find her bible study books, bibles, and journals strewn about her chair on any given morning. Oh, how I want to be like her! She prays for us...all of us! This has always given me comfort to know that my mom was praying for me. I knew she was but always found evidences when I sneaked a peak into her journals as a child (sorry mom).

She is a teacher. She went back to school when I was in middle school after being a stay at home mom for my whole childhood. I cannot imagine being in college while caring for a family, maintaining a home, being a pastor's wife, and putting dinner on the table each night! Seriously, I couldn't have done it. She was determined as she knew they would have three girls to help through college in a few years. She arrives at school early (too early in my opinion) to get things ready for the day. She is a great teacher and still brings all her big ole books home every night to review her next day! She is a great teacher.

She is a pastor's wife. My mom has served faithfully along with my dad for well over 30 years in the ministry. I know those years have been both challenging and blessed. I have seen her serve in so many different roles because they were areas that were in need. She has been: a nursery worker, VBS Leader, Children's Sunday School Teacher, Adult Women's Sunday School teacher, she's led bible studies, she's planned women's luncheons, she's sung in the church choir, she even played the piano on a few occasions that I remember when the pianist was out. She's done it all. The thing that stands out the most about my mom as a pastor's wife is her humility. She is such a humble person. She never wants to be the center of attention or out front so everyone can see "Her." She never wants people to think she has it all together or has to be the one "in charge." She is very humble!

She is a great mom. She has three daughters who are all different. From our our hair color to our love languages and our personalities. We are all very different. My mom loves us all and is a close friend to each of us. In fact, we all 3 call her....every day! Yes, her phone rings a lot! She is always there to hear about our days, lend good advice about everything from potty training to medical emergencies, and always spends her time invested in our lives. We have already said that when mimi gets old...we're talking really old...like many many years from now, there will be a three way fight over who gets to care for mimi. I mean she is loved that much by her girls!

She is a mimi. I would say grandmother but that sounds too old. She is a mimi to five boys (including out Samuel) and 3 girls. They all love mimi too! She spends most of her afternoons babysitting one or more of them. Her playroom is a lively place full of toys and fun. She never is worried about her house when they are having fun...even when I know she has probably just cleaned it and it quickly is a disaster. I would never worry for a minute when my girls are in her care. She is a fun mimi. She crawls down the hall, hides in the closet, tiptoes to papa office, colors , playes spies, hi-ho cherrio, go fish, and etc. (and yes all of these are when entertaining little people). It is a blessing to know that my girls have a godly mimi to help teach them about the Lord.

We all love you mimi! We hope you feel loved today!

A good Monday..so far

Today has been a good day so far. kev had today off of work and that is always so nice. He let me sleep in... until eliza needed to be fed and he dressed both kids and ironed my clothes. I started a new bible study at church today. It is Beth Moore's new...very new...Revelation study! I was hesitant to join because I know that I haven't had as much time to devote to the amount of time a Beth Moore study generally takes. I am not good at going when I haven't completed the weekly homework. I know everyone says to come anyways, but I hate doing that. Usually, I end up in a late week cram session and don't get near as much out of it as I would have. I love having something to get us up and out of the house early on Monday. It is a great way to start out week, and no matter how difficult it is for me to get us there (on time is a totally diff. subject) I always come home feeling refreshed, motivated and ready for the week. So, I made myself join the new study once again. Have I mentioned they have free childcare and you get some adult interaction! I so need that! I was excited to find out that this study is a lecture series and has very little weekly homework! I think this is just what I need at this season. All that said...I am glad I went! Did I mention the hubs cleaned out my van before I left and loaded the girls?? I need him here everyday!

I don't know about you but I am so ready for SPRING! This has been by far our coldest winter in a long time. Usually by February we are having some good warm 70 degree days here and there. The kind of days that start out cold and warm up quickly! I cannot believe we may get a little more snow on Tues. night! That is crazy!!

I am starting my yearly de-clutter! I hate clutter and I hate keeping things we aren't using. I like empty and organized spaces! I am probably a little OCD too. I am ready to simplify and minimize again! I don't know about you but I think my next house will be teeny-tiny!!! The more house...the more space to fill...the more stuff to store and the more space to clean! I am thinking that smaller is better!

And finally, Happy 2nd Anniversary to my little sis Jess and her hubby ryan! Two years ago today it was warm and beautiful! I even got a little sunburn! It wass a beautiful wedding and the most beautiful spring day! We wish you many more years together!

no wonder....

my jeans feel tighter today! I have indulged....and it's been so good! The Sweetheart shake...a yummy combo of vanilla icecream, real cherries, and white and milk chocolates! I love cherries and chocolate! I think it is a good think that this is a limited item! Yum Yum...just don't look up the calories or fat content...no wonder my jeans feel tight!

The Art of being 2

This is not the first time this has happened at our house. For the past year we've kept the toilet paper on the back to the toilet to avoid these issues. I felt as though we were now far too mature and dignified for such displays of childish foolishness....obviously not. I guess it was just too appealing. And you know that once it starts rolling it just goes and goes and goes! When I showed her daddy the evidence (picture) his first thought was of course....what did you do with it! I assured him that I was not concerned with being frugal at this moment and I most definitely did not rewind the whole toilet roll!