After a wonderful night's rest with the waves crashing in the distance (Can you tell that I'm really missing the beach?!), we woke to Russ sneaking out for a morning run.  I mean, who goes running or does anything athletic while they are at the beach?  Obviously not me.  When Millie Janalee popped her sweet head up and enthusiastically said, "Hey Mama" I gave Russ what was sure to be the "stink eye" for making noise as he left us for the road.

It's really not too bad waking up to such a happy girl.  She put on her "haaat" before we walked over to Susu and Pawpaw's room for breakfast.  After breakfast, we all broke away to prepare for our first full day in the sand.  I loaded and organized our beach wagon and Russ ran to Winn Dixie to grab an air pump after I nearly passed out from trying to blow up the baby pool on my own.  Everything got loaded and a full day's food was packed and there was one girl ready to hit the beach...

I brought a fun surprise for all the little cousins.  We decided we pretty much needed to just carry Hughes down in his bucket while the girls played with theirs.  Ha!  But next year, he will have one and will be all up in the fun sand with the girls.

Setting up for the day takes a little time and more than one person since this girl is so mobile this year.  This is one big reason why we stay out all day.  Too much trouble to bring it all up for lunch and nap and then bring it all back down.  Who needs to do that when you can eat lunch and nap all in the same spot?!  I've never liked going up during the day.  That's a waste of sunlight and beach time.

Millie Janalee waited patiently as the guys and She She worked to fill her pool with water and get her little setup ready.  She was ready to play in the pool!  Once the initial setup is over, everything is a piece of cake.  And lots of fun!

It wasn't too long before she was ready to explore this sandy floor.  She walked around without a problem or complaint.  Then she decided she wanted to play in the "sommm".  She stood by She She's chair and picked up sand and poured it on the foot of her chair.  This occupied her for quite a while.

Until she found the water!  Blessed was the person who took her to the water, because they would later deal with the fit of cries when they got tired and made her come back to our spot.  Ha!  Uncie "Buckkkk" and Millie Janalee had a great time jumping waves and squealing.  The squealing came from Millie Janalee...not Buck.  And in case you're wondering why someone always has their hands on her when she's near the water - it's because when we let her go, she would literally RUN into the ocean.  Big wave or not.  It was only a matter of time before she went swimming with the little group of stingrays we kept seeing.  No fear.

After a full morning of pool time, playing in the sand, and salt water...a toddler will work up an appetite and be ready for a little shut eye.  Or they can at least be convinced a little easier that they are ready for a nap.  I propped Millie Janalee up for some veggie packs and Lunchable snack trays before bringing out the paci and wrapping her in a towel.  After a few minutes of rocking back and forth, those eyes did close.  And what can be better than a good, long nap on the beach?!  Not much.  While the babies napped, the grown ups got their sun and  had some fun.

Me and She She

My beach hottie!

Selah Grace sleeping in her little tent

Hughes didn't make it down to the beach to play, so his parents enjoyed a relaxed day in the condo with an ocean view.  That's not a bad way to spend week 5 of a newborn's life, is it mamas?  We came up at the end of the day to shower and get ready for supper.  That's when Millie Janalee got her "Huss" time.  We may have distracted her with snacks a few times so that Hughes could rest from the enthusiasm of his older cousin.  Ha!

Happy beach baby!

This face sums up his feelings when we came  up each day.  So long quiet naps and bottles.  Hello squealing and "patting" toddler!

Let's see.  I think this night Mama fixed dinner.  Bar-b-que chicken, crock pot mac and cheese, salad, and homemade ice cream was on the menu.  It was basically another family party in the condo.  You know.  The loud laughing kind I told you about.

Millie Janalee and Buck found their belly buttons.

Selah Grace climbing "Big Daddy"'s back

Susu introducing Selah Grace to the fun of headgear!

I would definitely go as far as saying Day One on the beach was a success!  Only leaving us wanting more and leaving our love tanks full from good family time.

Toes in the Sand

First of all, I want to thank everyone for your comments, emails, Facebook messages, and kind words after reading my last post.  We are very excited to begin this new journey toward our Baby J².  And we couldn't do it without your prayers!  So, now you get a little idea of why this blog has been so bare lately.  Aside from getting everything together for our home study, we have been busy packing box after box preparing for the big move!  And in the middle of all that, we thought we'd take a vacation.

If you have been around here for long, you know that it's not summer to us until the beach vacation!  My family has been going to the beach the first week of June (or end of May...depending on how the weeks fall) for as long as I can remember.  Nonnie and Pops had a timeshare at one of the condominiums Panama City Beach, so it is more than a vacation.  It's like going "home."  Memories are there.  LOTS and LOTS of memories.  I remember when our condo was the only one you could see for miles.  Things have certainly changed since those days.  None of us miss this trip if at all possible.

Russ and I decided early on that we would take Millie Janalee a day early.  We always wish we could stay longer and Russ had time off work, so we went with it.  We also used this trip as the big reveal for Millie Janalee to see all there is to see looking FORWARD on a car ride.  Yep, she's 22 months old and was still facing backwards.  For the record, it wasn't because of any strong conviction I had.  She was fine facing backwards, so I was fine with it too.  Ha!  She was so happy facing forward!  The entire 8-9 hour drive, we only turned the iPad on for an hour worth of shows.  The rest was spent talking to each other, singing songs, and having lunch in the car.  French fries in her cup holder may have been the most exciting thing to date in her opinion.

We arrived in Destin around supper, so we enjoyed a casual dinner at Buster's and some late night shopping at the outlet mall before checking into our hotel.  I'm not sure that the three of us have "vacationed" alone together ever.  It was very nice to enjoy time with just the three of us.  There's something about staying in a hotel away from home...away from the everyday distractions of daily life.  We love traveling!

We woke up the next morning and took our time checking out.  We strolled around the outlet mall to hit up a few stores we missed the night before.  Then, we drove over to The Crab Trap in Destin for a yummy lunch on the beach.  I couldn't wait to see the sand and the water!  I knew we could eat lunch on the "back porch" with open windows overlooking the ocean, so I requested the location.  Russ had never eaten there, and it was fun to take him someplace new.  Millie Janalee and I ate there last year with Kristin and Lee...so naturally we were experts.  Ha!

Russ had gumbo and some other fish dish.  I had popcorn shrimp.  Don't make fun.  I'm not a fish or crab or anything "sea life" eater.  I like my popcorn shrimp just fine!  Ha!  After lunch, we walked outside to breathe in the salty air and take a couple pictures.  Millie Janalee wanted to get in the sand and water so bad!  We managed to peel her away with only a short amount of crying just in time for a good, long nap.  She napped while Russ and I took the scenic route toward Panama City Beach.  We drove down 30A stopping in Seaside for some ice cream, and we ended up at our condo.

As soon as we were unloaded and a few things were unpacked, I asked Russ if we could take Millie Janalee down to the beach.  There's no time like the present, and I just couldn't wait to see how she would react this year to the sand and water.  Last year, she had just started crawling so she didn't have too much experience with either...outside her baby pool.

It's safe to say that she is a fan of both now!

I took her to the edge of the water to feel the waves hit her feet.  She pulled and pulled wanting to go further out.  We jumped a few waves and got the bottom of her outfit soaked before my back was aching from holding the girl up so only her feet were in the water, and I carried her away.  Kicking and screaming.  I know.  No fun.  She is a beach bum like her mama!  This makes me happy, happy, happy!

My uncle fixed a yummy supper of boiled shrimp, corn, potatoes, and Mama fixed a salad.  We enjoyed a family dinner with lots of loud talking and laughing.  That's the norm for the week.  If you can't handle it, don't even try to come with us.  Ha!  Clancy presented everyone with their monogrammed hats for the week, and Millie Janalee would. not. take. hers. off!  She LOVED her "haaaat"!  I loved mine too.  I can't believe we forgot to get a group pic wearing them.  Seriously, I had to make the girl take her hat off for bedtime.  And she put it back on to walk over to Mama's condo for breakfast.  Such a silly girl!

Millie Janalee and Daddy washing her feet after walking around the building barefoot

Going to the beach is my happy place.  Some people prefer the mountains or the lake or big cities or home.  I prefer the beach.  Sitting out on the balcony watching and listening to the waves crash...surrounded by my favorite people.  It feels like "home" to me.

Some moments just take your breath away...

Life is good at the beach.

Before You Were Born

Before she was born, we prayed.  Before she was born, we cried.  Before she was born, we longed to know what it felt like to be called "Mama" and "Daddy."  Before she was born, we dreamed.  Before she was born, hundreds (maybe even thousands) joined us in fervent prayer as we embarked on our journey to parenthood.  Before she was born, we lost sleep.  Before she was born, we instantly loved a couple we had never met.

Before she was born, we loved her.

Before we knew her...we loved her.

Before she was born, God did an extreme work on our hearts.  He listened to our prayers as we asked begged for Him to make his desires our desires.  He heard my cry when I asked Him to change my heart to match His.

God showed us the desire of our hearts and the miracle we never would have known had we not learned to trust Him.  He knew who our hearts were longing for, and He showed us immeasurably more than we could have ever imagined or dreamed.

God entrusted us with the precious life of Miss Millie Janalee.  Our "Baby J".

It is hard to begin to fathom how our hearts would have room to love even more.  But we know love multiplies!  We pray for God to guide us as parents.  To prepare our hearts.  And hers.  Prepare our hearts for big changes in our futures.  When?  We aren't quite sure.  But we know His timing and His plans are perfect.  We know from experience.  Because He got us through life before she was born.

And we have faith that He will do it again...

Over the course of these last couple months, we began working with our adoption agency to adopt again.  We have completed all the paperwork, we had our interviews, our profile books are in, and I took these pictures the day of our home visit.  We are waiting on the official approval, but it should be here next week if all goes as planned.

This adoption will be a bit different.  Since we are moving to Missouri in a couple weeks, we had to rush our process so that our profile can remain active in Mississippi while we are gone.  When we get to Missouri, we will contact Bethany Christian Services in St. Louis to make the appropriate updates...which will include another home visit and paperwork.  In the case of a placement while we are living in Missouri, we need to be covered in both states.  All states have their own laws and regulations.  We will also discuss the possibility of having our profiles shown in Missouri while we are there.  I mean, why not?

This being our second adoption, we will also prepare to wait longer.  Birthmothers typically lean toward choosing "childless couples."  Families with children tend to wait longer.  However, we all know that God has His own plan for all these families...including ours.  So anything can happen!

We are excited and anxious and at complete peace about our future.  We have already begun praying for our Baby J².  We are praying for his or her birthmother.  Praying that God will prepare her heart for us and our hearts for her.

And we ask, once again, if you will join us.  More than all the gracious monetary support we received during Millie Janalee's adoption...your prayers were most cherished.  You were our prayer warriors, and I know many of you still continue to pray for us as we parent Millie Janalee and for her birthparents as they move forward in their lives.

Will you join us again?

We love you, Baby J².  Even before you were born, we loved you!

We are stepping away from the shore again with a tiny seed of faith...knowing He will meet us there.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!  

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Memorial Day 2014

Moving right along into our Memorial Day weekend visit to my parents'...

Monday morning, my mom and I decided to make a trip to the dreaded Walmart.  I seriously hate going to that place.  I can count on one hand the number of times I've been this year.  It's rare.  But, we decided Millie Janalee needed a little baby pool.  And we needed ice.  And other things to grill burgers at the last minute.  We came home and gave Pawpaw instructions to "put this pool together as fast as you can."  He was thrilled.  Especially when he realized he didn't even have a hose in the backyard.  Millie Janalee helped him a little, and we began filling the pool as soon as we had it in the perfect place.

I put Millie Janalee in her first swimsuit of the season, and she was ready to dive in!  The girl had a ball!  Seriously.  Besides the one time we thought she nearly drowned, she was on top of the world.  Oh...and I just couldn't resist picking up a swim noodle while we were at Walmart.  My mom laughed that it was bigger than the pool, but who doesn't love a swim noodle at the pool?!

After the one scary water incident, I decided to stand in the pool with Millie Janalee while she played.  I really just should've put my suit on and enjoyed some sun on my back.  But I never got around to that part.  We splished and splashed until the burgers were ready.  And until I dropped my phone in the pool.  Don't worry.  It survived thanks to the bowl of brown rice.  I can't say as much after I sent the dear phone on a swim in the ocean last week.

But that's another story for another time.

Then it was Russ's turn.

Another fun surprise was a last minute visit from my cousin, his wife, and their new baby girl.  Hughes and Darby are two weeks apart - both redheads.  Millie Janalee enjoyed meeting Kellie Jo and seeing Casey again.  She also loved looking at the new "bebbies."

Eventually, Millie Janalee decided she wanted to visit where the party was.  So we let her swing while the grown-ups visited.  The swing nearly put her to sleep. Which was an amazing plan actually!  Kristin and Lee also brought Hughes over to meet Casey's little family.

Just swingin'

Susu, Hughes, and Kristin

MawMaw holding Darby for the first time

Mommy and baby

Sweet red heads!

Daddy and Casey enjoying some homemade orange Crush ice cream

Kristin's little family

My sweet family and a sleeping baby girl

After a fun and long afternoon of swimming, visiting, grilling, eating, and toddler napping...we all headed over to Kristin and Lee's.  Lee invited us over to enjoy the filets he would grill.  Oh. My. Word!  They were so delicious!  Lee's mom was there, and she prepared a delicious pasta dish and salad.  There was banana pudding for dessert I think.  I'm trying to remember.  All our summer plans have involved such yummy food that I get them mixed up.  Ha!

Millie Janalee loves being around "Kah Kaaaay" and "Bwee".  She's starting to really love hugging all over "Huss" too.  I think I'll make mention here of how much I absolutely ADORE hearing her talk in her own little toddler language.  Now I know how some of these grandparents end up with hilarious names.  Because we start talking like she does and then it sticks. 

Let's see, we've gone from:

• Auntie Kristin and Uncie Lee to "Kah Kaaaay" and "Bwee"
• Hughes to "Huss"
• Uncie Bucket to "Buckkkk"
• Aunt Clancy to "Clay"
• Granmomma to "Mamama"

...just to name a few.

Hughes has pretty much learned to avoid eye contact unless he wants the "petting" from Millie Janalee.  Ha!  Russ had to work the next day, so we made a late night of it before heading home.  Millie Janalee couldn't believe our Memorial Day weekend was coming to an end...

What a fun one it was!

Summer Weekend Fun

Well, it's been a while since I've updated this little blog of mine.  Things are in complete full swing around here!  SO MUCH going on, and I certainly plan to share it all with you as I go.  Today, I'm gonna back up to Memorial Day weekend.

Russ and I traveled to visit my parents on Friday before Memorial Day.  My brother was also in town with his new corn hole set his girlfriend gave him for graduation.  Russ and Millie Janalee were able to help christen the sacred game.

After spending the afternoon playing outside, we all ventured over to my sister's house to grill steaks.  Plus we were itching to visit the newest baybay of the family.  Little Hughes is just growing like a weed...as newborns tend to do.  Millie Janalee was so much more adjusted this time!  I'm so happy that she actually likes the "bebbies" now.  Ha!  She loves to hug him and rub his little head and tummy.  She still requires a bit of supervision, but I love to see how compassionate she has become.  When he cries, she yells, "OH ME!  BEBBIES!" and runs over to see what's wrong.  It's the cutest thing to me.

Saturday night Kristin and Lee babysat Millie Janalee with their own newborn while Russ and I joined my parents for a fun night celebrating the wedding of a friend.  It was a spectacular affair, and we had a ball!  There are so many pictures floating around...and some dance moves I wish I could take back.  Ha!  I am so happy for Kaitlyn and Jon as they begin their new life together!

Sunday after church, we talked my parents into eating lunch at Pickwick near the water.  I just love spending beautiful summer days near the water!  After lunch, we took Millie Janalee on a little walk on the dock.

A friend of ours stopped by our table at lunch and invited us to come visit her houseboat just a few docks over.  Of course I jumped at the invite!  Russ and I have a "wish list" once he finally finishes all this training of his.  A boat is certainly on our list!  Not a houseboat, but a boat to enjoy as a family and with friends.  Millie Janalee found the perfect spot on the top deck of the boat.  She was a happy girl!

Ummm...until it was time to leave.

It was nearing naptime, so I offered one more fun opportunity before heading back to town.  We stopped at the state park and let Millie Janalee blow bubbles by the water.  Bubbles always put this girl in her happy place.  The backdrop isn't too bad for a few good pictures either!

Our pre-Memorial Day fun was wonderful.  Perfect ways to spend beautiful summer days and nights.  I love experiencing the best things in life with this sweet girl and my loving hubby. 

Life is good.