Litchfield Beach 2009

I need to hurry up and blog about our beach trip because we are going out of town again tonight. I don't want to get too far behind. Jacob, Dakota and I had a great 4th of July trip to Litchfield Beach to hang out with Gigi, Papa, Uncle Chad, Aunt Lauren & Holiver (Dakota adds an "H" to all words that start with a vowel). Unfortunately, Jacob and I didn't get the camera out too much but these pictures are a little sampling of the fun we had. Papa took a bunch more that we hope to get from him one day. Dakota's favorite things were "Water!!!", "Gigi's Beach House", "Papa's Boat" and "Bicycle." It was really nice to have almost a full week of no responsibilities other than my child. No work. No cleaning. No studying.

Cookies & Milk Cousins
Dakota bootlegged this sandcastle from somebody else.

She loves to run on the beach!

Oliver learned to walk just in time for our trip!

Our Memphis friends, Chris & Lesley were in SC that same week so we met up for a boat ride. Lesley is doing a month long rotation at MUSC.

I didn't get Dakota a 4th of July outfit but luckily Gigi had some decorations from last year's parade. I think a bandanna makes a fine tube top for a little girl.

She is so sweet and fun. I love her so much!

There's my belly for you. I think I was about 25 weeks then. I'm now 26.5 weeks! 13.5 to go. I'm getting soooo excited.

Thanks Sally & Clarence for opening your house up for another fun, family vacation! We look forward to next year!

I Could Use Some Caffeine

I feel like rambling but I should be working...just need a little break from drawring.

-I woke up a little early this morning because I had to have a mole removed at 7. I got a wart frozen off at the same time. Figured I would kill 2 birds with one copay.

-I think I'll get a diet coke when I'm done with this. I'm trying to be better about drinking lots of water because I've been having "issues". I've also added an Activia to my afternoon. That's some gooood yogrit...and I've taken the challenge. It really does work.

-I noticed on my poll that I only have 100 days left until Cricket arrives. That's kind of exciting. I also noticed that the girl votes are catching up with the boy votes. I would love to hear your comments as to why you think I'm having what I am having. Just a hunch? I look different? Just picked one at random? I haven't voted cause I'm still not sure...leaning towards a girl. Jacob says boy. Guess one of us is wrong.

-We had a great visit to the beach with Jacob's family this past week. Kotabug LOVES the water and Papa's boat and Gigi's beach house and the bicycles. I needed a week of relaxation and I feel like I got it.

-Dakota is so cute. Her vocabulary is growing exponentially and she talks a lot. We can have little conversations now.

-We're going to North & South Dakota next week for the highpoints. I hope this pregnant girl can still climb a mountain. Dad, Martha and Brad are coming too and I am looking forward to it.

-I'm not looking forward to flying next week. Flying isn't fun any more and you're pretty much guaranteed to be delayed when you fly now. That's no fun when you have a 2 year old with you. Speaking of...I think we got our money's worth out of the "free under 2" rule. Dakota has probably been on 15 flights in her 2 years of life. She's a real trooper.

-I need to start reading more books. Jacob and Brad are the most well-read people I know. Maybe I'll start a list of books I read in the margin. I saw that on a blog when I was blog-stalking (you know you blog-stalk too!). Got any good suggestions? I just started Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges while I was waiting at the derm this morning. Jacob just finished it and told me I needed to read it.

-They announced at church last night the candidate for our new pastor. After almost 3 years this is quite exciting. Too bad he's coming to meet us and preach while we are out of town. He's young and he's a SC native (went to North Greenville). Seems to have lots of great qualities that fit our church or our church needs. I hope the church votes him in. Does any church ever not? Just curious.

-I had to go measure a building this morning and it was really hot. Really, really hot in the sun. It's for a renovation I am working on at work. My friend/project manager/coworker felt bad she mad a preggo girl tramp around in the hot sun so she treated me to lunch at Holiday Deli. It's one of my faves. I told her I didn't mind being out in the sun but she insisted. I had a strawberry mandarin chicken salad....yum!

-We got another bid back from a builder. He's our favorite but his price was higher than the others so far. His is probably more accurate though...I think the others might have missed some things. We are a little disappointed but maybe we'll just cut some things out so we can afford him.

-I wish our house would sell so we could start building. We had one girl come look twice but haven't heard back from her or her realtor. Maybe she's still thinking about why she should buy our home but I know she really liked it. You could tell.

-I have lots more that I could write about because I always have random stuff running through my head but I better go get my yogurt and get back to work. I think the diet coke craving is gone now, so I'll pass on it.

Faith Like a Child

Dakota gets sweeter each day and I am amazed at how she is such an intricate work of art by our Creator. I just wanted to share a cute story with you...a little bit of our new daily routine.

Now that Dakota is in a big girl bed I can lay with her while we read her bedtime story. After her story I sing to her. Recently she asked for "Jesus". I assumed that meant she wanted me to sing "Jesus Loves Me" to her so I did. When I finished singing she said with so much enthusiasm..."More Jesus." So I sang it again. "More Jesus" And again. "More Jesus" And again. I think you get the point. This has now been a daily routine for over a week. I know that at this stage in her life she doesn't comprehend who Jesus is but I do think she understands there is something special about that name. Last night I pulled out her Bible and skipped the classics of Noah and Jonah and Adam and Eve and jumped right to The New Testament so she can begin to know more about who this Jesus guy is. My prayer is that I will reach a point in my life where I am begging for "More Jesus!" and that Dakota never loses her enthusiasm for Him and that one day He will be her Savior.

Date Night...Again. So soon!

Last Thursday, Jacob and I along with my friends Helen and Mike went to the Flying Fish for dinner and then to see Wicked at the Orpheum. I saw it a few years ago on a date with my daddy in Atlanta and I remember liking it so much that I thought we should go see it when it came here. I'm so glad we did because it was just as good as I remember. Such a fun musical with a great story, humor and great music. If it comes to a theater near you...I'd highly recommed that you go see it!