Visiting Grandparents

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

To continue our road trip, we took Millie Janalee to spend the afternoon and evening with Russ's family.  Anytime we bring Millie Janalee, the whole family comes over.  I guess you could say she's pretty popular these days.  Nevermind her parents!  Ha!  We are merely her ride to and from town.

Aunt Jenny loves to play with Millie Janalee
"I love looking at those big earrings!"
We have failed to let Aunt Julie know the last few times we came into town, so I made sure to text her when we arrived.  She immediately jumped in her car and headed over for the rest of the day.  Aunt Julie has been Millie Janalee's prayer warrior for several years now.  We are so thankful for her!

Showing Aunt Julie her muscles
Millie Janalee loves her Aunt Julie!
We all enjoyed standing or sitting around in a circle watching Millie Janalee all. night. long!  That's pretty much our life now.  Staring at this little angel.  And I love our new life!  She was a little hot and fussy, so she needed extra attention.  She has never lacked attention...just so you know!  Ha!

Our princess on her throne...Gigi's chair
Elle has some sparkly jewelry too!
We finally ended up just letting her lie down and kick around.  When this girl gets hot, she doesn't want to be held.  So we all moved to the living room to watch her kick and play.  We talked to her, and we laughed and there were a lot of "Oh, how cute!" and "Look at that!"

"Hey Mama!"
Aunt Julie, Millie Janalee, and Elle
Will and Russ
Granmomma and Aunt Julie spending time with Millie Janalee
Farley wanted attention too!
When bedtime came around, we packed up and headed over to Paw Paw and Susu's house for the night.  Paw Paw waited patiently for the last two weeks to see Millie Janalee.  He was ready to feed her as soon as she finished her bath and diaper change.

Paw Paw, Millie Janalee, and Farley
Everyone settled in for a good night's rest before the big game on Saturday!  Anna, a precious friend, brought her cradle to Mama.  Mama always does night duty when we are in town, but she usually stays in the living room with the pack n play.  This time, Millie Janalee slept in Paw Paw and Susu's room in her new cradle.  She was so sweet nestled in!

Millie Janalee LOVES visiting her family!
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Road Trip

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

To celebrate Millie Janalee's nine weeks of life, we decided it was time for a ROAD TRIP!  As if she hasn't had enough of those already. Ha!  We have family in Jackson that we have not seen since we brought Millie Janalee home from the hospital, and it was time for a visit.  We have many friends there too...but we just couldn't fit everything in.


Our first stop was to see Pops at the nursing home.  We spent a few hours in his room visiting and letting him "pet" Millie Janalee.  He just kept holding her hands, touching her feet, and rubbing her head. 


He would say, "She sure is a good one" and "She's a pretty girl."  I'm not sure if he completely understood that Millie Janalee is his great-granddaughter, but he sure does love her!  And we love him!


Auntie Kristin took a little time to play with her favorite niece too!  She brought Pops a new door hanger she made, and it looks great!  I'm sure Pops would win the contest for cutest decor...if there were such a contest.

Auntie Kristin and Millie Janalee
Kristin and Pops in front of his door
After our visit with Pops, the girls did some light shopping and decided to eat dinner at Keifer's.  Millie Janalee had her own plans during dinner.  And she didn't let us stop her!  Shooooweee!  We took her to the car after dinner and Susu did what she does best...

...the dirty work!  Ha!
After dinner and a diaper change, we hit the road for our next stop!  "Uncle Jack" hasn't seen Millie Janalee since the placement ceremony, so we decided to visit him at work.  It's fall, and that usually means lots of school field trips to the fire department and pumpkin patch.  Millie Janalee loves a good field trip!

"Uncle Jack" and Millie Janalee on the fire truck
Millie Janalee's first trip to the fire department was a success!  She loved the big red trucks.  She also loved that she had unlimited access to any part of the truck she wanted...the front, the side, the inside, and they probably would've let her honk the horn if she wanted to!  Ha!

"Uncle Jack" and "Aunt Clancy"
They love her!
"Where is your fire suit, Uncle Jack?"
Exclusive access to the inside of the new fire truck!
She loved it!
By the time we fed and dressed that sweet girl, she was pooped!  This road trip has just started and she was exhausted.  Aunt Clancy was happy to serve as Millie Janalee's pillow and snuggle partner.


The next morning, we woke up for a special appointment.  But first, Millie Janalee wanted to hold her first itty bitty pumpkin from Uncle Jack!  It was just her size!


We were excited to visit Bethany's office while we were in town, and the Bethany staff was anxious to see Millie Janalee!  I know they are so blessed by their ministry...just as we have been.  They are such special people, and I couldn't wait to show them how much Millie Janalee had grown.

Me, Karen, and Millie Janalee
Margaret and Karen
Karen has prayed for us, Millie Janalee, and Millie Janalee's birthparents since before we even knew them.  She walked with us through every step of our adoption process, and we cannot thank her enough for how she has ministered to us and so many others!  These ladies are very special people!  We sat around and visited for nearly two hours before leaving for lunch and some more shopping.

Karen and Millie Janalee
After a long day of shopping, it was time to visit Aunt Patsy and Uncle Howard!  They LOVE Millie Janalee!  They have waited with us a long time for her arrival, and they have prayed and prayed for her!  They both read the blog regularly and share it with everyone!  I love how much they love us!

"Let's play Aunt Patsy!"
Millie Janalee loved sitting with Aunt Patsy!  She just laughed and smiled the whole time!  She knows how much Aunt Patsy loves her. 

Clancy, Millie Janalee, and Aunt Patsy
We stayed the rest of the night just hanging out and ordered pizza.  Millie Janalee showed everyone her newest obsession...sucking her thumb!  We let her do it...and we love it!  She is certainly her Susu's girl!  Ha!


Aunt Patsy and Uncle Howard pulled out Clancy's baby blanket from the hall closet, and Clancy and Millie Janalee spent some time playing.  Sweet sweet cousins!

Clancy and Millie Janalee
We had a visitor while we were there too!  One of Clancy's friends couldn't wait to meet Millie Janalee...and her little boy wanted to meet her too I'm sure.  Katie and Gavin came over and loved on Millie Janalee.  We played and visited and, of course, took lots of pictures.

Katie and Millie Janalee
Me and Gavin (4 months old)
I thought I would cry seeing how much Gavin was able to do and how big he looked!  It won't be long before Millie Janalee is that old.  Oh my!  This mama is going to have a hard time if I don't get it together!

Clancy, Gavin, and Aunt Patsy
Me, Millie Janalee, Gavin, and Katie
I predict I will have a niece or nephew one day that looks just like Gavin!  Kristin and Lee are surely going to produce a little red head for me to play with!  I'm also hoping for curls...red curls!

Sweet babies!
Before we left, Millie Janalee spent some time with Uncle Howard.  If you have never met Uncle Howard, he is one big man!  Tall and big!  Millie Janalee wasn't sure at first.  She had to assess the situation...


It didn't take long for her to realize Uncle Howard provided the best bed of us all!  Comfy little nook right there in his arms!


There was so much more we wanted to do, but we just couldn't get everything accomplished.  Maybe on our next trip we can visit some of our friends too.  We love a good road trip!  And so does Millie Janalee!
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Sweet Shower

Monday, September 24, 2012

Millie Janalee and I have been so blessed with showers of love celebrating this precious life and our answer to so many prayers!  Last weekend, some girls in our Sunday school class gave us a sweet little shower.  I was delighted to share our baby girl with these ladies who have joined us in prayer since the day we joined our church.


I'm trying to raise Millie Janalee right.  You know....to love SEC sports, to tough out any weather condition for a MSU football game, and to wear her sweet Southern pearls for special occasions.  So far, she's doing a great job!


Deanne was kind enough to host our shower in her home.  Everything was lovely, and she did a fabulous job!  Deanne has prayed for and loved on Millie Janalee all along.  I am so thankful for her generosity and kindness.  She also has a little boy who is nearly a year old.  We will have to introduce these two soon!  Ha!

Deanne and Millie Janalee
Deanne's mom is SO SWEET!
We spent the afternoon visiting, eating, and passing the baby around.  It was very nice and comfortable.  Millie Janalee loves all these ladies, and she can't wait to see them again! 

Kristy and Millie Janalee
Mama and Kristin drove from Corinth to celebrate with us.  They are always looking for any excuse to see Millie Janalee.  I'm pretty sure they would move in with us...or have us move in with them...if I'd let them!


Julie and Amanda spent most of the afternoon with the sweet girl while I opened gifts and snacked on the delicious food.  They are both very experienced...with ALL BOYS! 

Amanda, Millie Janalee, and Julie
The food was yummy, and the punch was delicious!
I think it's safe to say that Millie Janalee is a pro at being the center of attention!  She loves to be held, doted on, and of course she enjoys having her picture taken.  At least I hope she does!  Ha!


Russ and I are overwhelmed with the generosity shown by so many!  This shower was no exception.  There were so many wonderful and thoughtful gifts!  I can't wait for Millie Janalee to wear, play with, and read all the fun things!  Thank you so much for making us feel so special and showing your love for our precious girl!

For my Beach Baby
Love this handmade canvas from Karen!  So thoughtful!
Of course, Millie Janalee got hungry and let us ALL know it!  Ha!  The girl likes her food...just like her Auntie Kristin.  Jamie drew the short straw and fed her!  In all seriousness, I think she volunteered!  Millie Janalee LOVES her Aunt Jamie!

Jamie and Millie Janalee
After the shower, Mama, Kristin, Millie Janalee, and I went to Stix for supper and enjoyed some time with Millie Janalee at the apartment.  Yes, babies make these adults do some pretty silly things...and make some silly faces.


God has blessed us so much with sweet friends and family who have grieved with us, prayed with us, and now REJOICE with us!  We are thankful.  So very thankful!
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