Weekend to Remember

Last weekend, we attended Family Life's Weekend to Remember marriage conference. It was wonderful!! The classes (and speakers) were great, and we had a chance to talk about things that we never would have on our own. We had a date night (which we don't take the time for very often), and spent the entire weekend together. We missed Meredith so much (it was our first time to be away, so we called several times to check on her), but with all the classes and "homework assignments" we were kept very busy. We really needed that time together!

The last day of the conference, we said our vows again. It was such a special moment! I love Matt more than ever, and am so proud of him!! (below is a picture of us after we said our vows). We totally recommend the conference, and will definitely be going again.



Thanks Mimi and Andaddy for keeping Mere for us!! She had so much fun!!!
And thanks Shannon and Matt for telling us about the conference!!

Here's a pic of all of us...

Dora Pull-ups

Mimi got Meredith some Dora pull-ups to use this weekend while we were at the marriage conference. She was going to work with her on potty training. Mere loved her Dora panties! :) She just didn't want to take the time to go use her big girl potty...she's a busy girl, and just doesn't want to stop for something like that :)

12 miles!!!

I'm currently training for the Country Music 1/2 Marathon...thanks to my sister, who asked if I would do it with her. I never would've done this on my own!! Thanks Shannon!! For the past few months, I've really doubted my ability to reach this goal...I've thought about giving up so many times, but I was able to complete 12 miles yesterday!!!! Without the encouragement of my sister, the rest of my family, trainer, and training group I never would've come so far! But I really have to give all of the credit to the Lord!!! I've never been athletic, and actually consider myself kinda weak :) so the fact that I'm able to do any of this is due to Him giving me the strength!! I give Him all the glory and praise!!!!

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life."
Proverbs 13:12

During our Sunday School class today, we talked about Solomon and vision mapping. Solomon defined hope as a well-founded and confident belief that a specific vision will be fulfilled within a specific amount of time. Hope that is fulfilled produces progress toward the goal, but hope that is deferred produces the opposite. We talked about how we should be deliberate when we make goals, and put down specifics and dates...that we have to do our part!!! During most of my training so far, I haven't put in the miles I really needed to...I've just put it off for one reason or another, and I was always the slowest at our training runs on Saturdays (and usually had to walk part of the time). Well, I worked hard to put in my miles this past week and I prayed that if this was part of His plan for my life to please give me the strength to do it...I was able to keep up with the group for once and I didn't walk at all. It was all Him!!! (because I know I couldn't do that on my own!)

Without Him, this would only be a dream...but with Him, this dream is becoming a reality!!

I can't wait to cross the finish line in a few weeks...I'll be praising the Lord the whole way!! And I can't wait to see what He has in store for me in the days, weeks, and years to come!!

Have a great week!!,
Shanda

We usually get together with my parents, my Aunt Joy, Shannon, Matt, and Carter on Friday nights. This past Friday was so much fun...the babies were hilarious, so wild!! They were running around and screaming...I so enjoy watching them play together, and am so glad they have each other (they are, too...when they're away from each other for a while, you can tell that they miss the other).

Before Mimi and Grandaddy (or Andaddy as Mere and Carter call him) left, Mere wanted them to read to her. While they were reading to her...she started trying to pick the animals off the page. I've never seen her try to do that before, and it was so cute!! She just kept trying to pick them up :) See pic below

New Boots

Mimi got Meredith a new pair of boots, and she loves them!! Thanks so much Mimi!!! They're hot pink and have light up stars on the side...adorable!!! She's going to wear them for her upcoming pictures at Krista Lee Photography...we're so excited that Andrea will be taking her pictures again (she's the best!). We're also gonna get so family photos, and will attempt to get some pics of the babies together :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

We took Meredith down to Aunt Shannon & Uncle Matt's house on the 16th, so we could get some pictures of her and Carter. They were so funny, and they loved the pot of gold!!! Meredith noticed that Aunt Shannon really liked the Snickers, so she kept picking them out and taking them to her :)

Meredith thinks she's super strong!! She always tries to carry things that are bigger than she is. Here she is trying to carry a pampers box and the pot of gold.

Isn't he just the cutest little man you've ever seen!!

March

Meredith has been extra loving lately!!! And we love it!!! She gives lots of kisses and hugs, and is just so snuggly!!

We let her finger paint again on the 1st. Matt showed her how to do hand prints...after that, that's all she wanted to do. After she painted a while, she started acting like she was going to put it in her mouth (I think she does this on purpose...when she knows she shouldn't do something, she acts like she's going to, to see how we'll react), so the paints went up...

She's been wanting her paci a lot, but we're still limiting it. She opens her mouth and points in when she wants it.

She still loves eating frozen veggies and frozen fruit!!!! We started giving it to her when she was teething (cause it felt good on her gums), but she still loves it and eats it so good!!

I had been wanting to take Meredith to Sweet & Sassy to have her hair trimmed, but Matt didn't want to. Well, now it's starting to grow more on top...she's starting to get bangs :) And she has the most beautiful little curls in the back!! I just can't cut them right now, they're adorable!!

Mere took her diaper off when she was in her bed on the 8th. She was supposed to be napping...I just happened to look at the monitor and notice that she didn't have it on (yes, I put her to bed in just a shirt and diaper...i was hoping she might want to use her potty when she got up. she did so well using it at first, but hasn't used it in a long time!!). She was so proud of herself, and just kept laughing!

Mere and Carter played with sidewalk chalk for the first time on the 9th. They loved it!! Mere was a little more interested in carrying around the container. Carter held on to two the whole time. Neither wanted to give up the chalk when it was time to go inside.

Mere had ham for the first time on the 8th...she loved it!! I think she's getting a little bored with her food, so I'm trying to give her some new things. Still trying to be very careful with what we give her. Still giving her organics (and I plan on forever!), and excluding eggs and things processed on shared equipment. She's never had candy, and doesn't eat many sweet things at all...I've made her cookies and organic cupcakes/muffins. We don't give her much juice, I'd rather her eat fruit instead. She loves raisins...her daddy found her the cutest little boxes of organic raisins (she thinks she's a big girl because she gets to carry around the box). We also recently gave her apple cinnamon granola...she loves it!!!

On the 13th, I reserved the Connector Building at Church for Mere's 2nd Birthday party!! :) I know it's a little early, but I wanted to make sure we got it!! Her party will be on Saturday, August 15th. Now, we just have to come up with a theme...