pickers

Reagan has now completely mastered the art of nose picking! She found her nostril two days ago and hasn't left it alone since.

I. love. her.

She is such a great source of love and affection...boogie finger and all.

almost a year

Baby girl is almost a year old...I am still in shock that it has gone by so quickly.

Crawling

Realing started crawling a few weeks ago....watch out world! She has done some new and exciting things this month, like going to her first air show, and swimming in a big pool (not the blow up pool above silly). She will do anything outside! She likes to come with me while I water plants, marveling at the water coming out of the hose. She laughs when Grace jumps up and down and looooves to read books. She crawls everywhere and gets into everything! ENjoy.

Update

A short update:

A few weeks ago a bird came and ate my tomato seedlings...twice. Green thumb = fail.

Rea crawls with her belly on the floor now, she is so busy and into everything....I love her curiosity and sweet spirit. She likes to make noises and talk and explore everything. She even follows me...if I walk into the kitchen she scoots till she can see me again. She can keep herself entertained for intervals of time and she LOVES when you sing to her. She even has two teeth coming in on the bottom and her cheesy grin can make any heart melt.

Grace has been a great big sister. She loves to lay down next to Rea and loves to cuddle with her if she gets still. Grace is watchful and gentle with Reagan, if she cries Grace runs over to her to investigate and will most likely give her a lick that means "don't worry, Mommy (or Daddy) will be here to help you as soon as possible!" Such a smart dog (although not so smart when she runs in front of moving vehicles...)

Eric started flying the Osprey and enjoys his job greatly. I still can't believe he is in the fleet, and I am so very proud of him. No matter how busy he is, he still finds time for family and time for wife. Having a pilot for a husband creates a wonderful, chaotic schedule but somebody has to do it!

We have some special friends over here who make NC feel more like Texas (the state, not t.u.). We have a small house that isn't fancy, and we barely fit into it....but it's home. We are thankful to be together and we love sharing life with little Rea...she makes everything more special!

We have found a new church and we are excited to get more involved there. Rea has her own class and I really can't believe it! She is such a big girl....I have already told her that she can never leave me and that she will live with us forever......what? :) (I'm just kidding....kind of....)

Green thumb #2

Got my STRAWBERRY seeds planted! Now I have tomato and strawberry seeds planted! Is my thumb green or what? Hopefully they will thrive and grow! Kristen D. --IF they don't make it, I may be coming to your neig....I mean your house for a visit! :) haha.

Green Thumb

Got my seeds planted yesterday...waiting for them to sprout and grow a little bit before I transplant them to the great outdoors! I'm trying one of my favorites first....cherry tomatoes! YUM. Wish me luck!

hip hip

Happy Birthday Mom and Eric!!! We love you both very much! Reagan is 7 mo old now....I can't believe it! Hooray!

The Hunt

Church hunting can be/is exhausting. In almost three years of marriage to each other (and the Corps), we have lived in six different homes, and four different states. (I get tired just typing about it!) Now, in each different place we have lived, we did eventually find a church, it just took longer in some places than others. It's EASY to feel burnt out on looking for the right congregation to join....further prompting doubts of fear that we will never feel at home in yet another "random" church. But then I remember that life isn't random. It's not random that I married this man, this Marine. It's not by chance we met at ages 18 and 19 and didn't get married until we were 22 and 23. It's not random we have a wonderful daughter who brings out the best in us as parents and as friends. It's not random that our dog was pronounced dead for ten minutes, but miraculously regained breath after her doctor prayed for her. It's not random that my husband felt called to the Marine Corps, and also to the protection of innocent people long before we ever met. It's not a coincidence that when things started looking down for us, we looked up and found answers. As always, we're not giving up. As always, God is faithful. We aren't here by accident, and you're not either. Praise be to God, the Everlasting King.

Happy Birthday!

Also, Happy Birthday to my sister Mandy!!!!!! She's turning 40!!!!

Garden

I am going to start growing things in the backyard....so wish me luck people. More to come!!!!!

Spring

I love the Spring. I love spending days and days outside in the sunshine...forgetting all about the list of things I have yet to accomplish. It's peaceful.

Man, I can't wait for more days like this one to come.

Thanks so much to Kristen Dalton for taking so many sweet pictures of our little family.

Kristen. as I have said again and again, you have a special gift! Thank you so much for sharing it with us! We love you very much!

My heart hurts for those in Japan.

update

My thoughts....

Slowly getting unpacked but such is life when a little one lives with you!

My sister had her second baby on March 2! Her name is Emma Frances Cox and she is a doll and a half! She looks so much like big brother and daddy, but I have a feeling she will start to look more like mommy when she gets bigger. I can't wait to meet you baby Emma!

Reagan tried carrots this week. She doesnt hate them totally, but she makes funny faces like she is thinking "What the....hey...this isn't rice cereal!". It's fun to watch her try new things. She can also sit up now! She is such a big girl and wants to be sitting up all day or jumping in her jumper! She is very active and grabs everything within her reach. You really have to watch her old butterfingers. It's so cute to watch her get excited about different toys, food, and faces. She even has a sippy cup now that I let her play with and she already knows how to use it! The very first time I gave it to her she used it the right way....she is so smart! She also likes to hold her own bottles...she is very independent (as long as you are in earshot). Also, if you can believe it, she is trying to crawl! She flops on her tummy and pushes up on her arms and then tries to pull her body along the ground! She kicks her legs, but hasn't figured out how to get them underneath her yet....but I have a feeling when she does figure it out she will be going and going and going and I am going to do a lot of chasing! My little girl is growing fast!

welcome home

My favorite thing to see around town are the welcome home signs. By far, they are the most encouraging and beautiful signs I have ever seen.

Father, bring them home safely to us.

Pray for our troops today.

And each day.

May our country never forget that FREEDOM is not FREE.

baby books

Trying to make sure I keep the baby book updated is a tough job! She does so many new things I have to leave her book out so I can jot everything down! I don't want to forget anything! You are worth it sweet girl!

:)

I love the evenings at our house.

Reagan is cuddly at night, and loves to play with mommy's hair or touch daddy's face.

We lay her down in her crib at bedtime and there is usually no argument.

She feels safe and snug in her bed.

We kiss her goodnight and I like to squeeze her hand.

We turn on her musical aquarium and oh how I love that sound.

It's peaceful.

It makes me smile.

I love knowing that she is tucked safely into bed at night.

I am already anticipating the morning when I go in to get her.

She always smiles BIG and she wiggles her arms and legs with excitement when I peek my head over the crib to rescue her from another dirty diaper.

She squeezes me tight when I pick her up.

Mom to the rescue.

ahhhhh it's wonderful.

Thank you Lord for such a special gift.

Lunch with Reagan

Oh boy, she has the camera out again.

But I'm showing you that I'm HUNGRY.

Okay, here's one for the camera...

Really? Mom still isn't satisfied....

Okay, Ill be cute.....

Still hungry.....

My new trick!

Party at lunch time!

Nevermind, I can do it myself!

Mommy and me.

Ya'll come back!

(This one I made especially for Kristen D., well how did i do? My new computer has these awesome tools for playing with pictures....I think I'm addicted!)

Pretty

Our baby.

Well

Shhhhhhh. The little one sleeps.
Two thoughts:

1. Our new computer has a fingerprint scanner for added "security". I can't bear to bring myself to enroll my fingerprints....call me old fashioned but it totally creeps me out!

2. We moved back to the coast and it only took a 30 hour road trip to do it! Six moves in less than three years, check. Ready to settle down, check. Shop at Food Lion (are those really still open? you ask, yes they are!), check.

OOPS

I keep trying to post, but have so much to say I can't get it organized enough to post. I will work in chunks. Please be patient my avid readers.

Until then, I leave you with this....

Baby Emma will be with us soooooon. I can't wait!

My valentines

thanks to my sweet friend kristen d....I have this sweet memory.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever....

Five months

Our beauty queen!
Already five mo old! My heart can't believe it!

Sleeping

Hanging out in the warm sun!

#6

So we are moving again.

Yep that's right....it's our sixth move.

Always keep our address written in pencil.

Once again, we are excited and feel extremely blessed to be able to make this move together as a family.

More later!

Random Pics

I caught the dog in the bouncy seat....jealous much?

One of her grandma's spending time with little foot.

The pup posing with her Christmas garb.

I love that cheesy grin!

Happy January!!!!!

Note

Note to Self:

Clean baby poop off clothing as quickly as possible.

reading books

Reagan will actually get kinda still for a good book. She even tries to flip the pages and like to touch the pictures. In two weeks she will be five months old!

big girl

Im so in love with this little girl! Reagan you make life so wonderful for mommy and daddy. You have gotten so strong! You used to cry and scream when you were on your tummy...but not anymore! Now you smile big when you look up at us as if to say --look what I can do! Oh you are a joy!

Amanda is married!

We got to travel across Texas to watch one of my sweetest friends get married! It was so fun catching up with college friends...it never fails, we always have fun together!

Congratulations to A and C....we couldn't be more happy to watch two of our favorite people tie the knot! Here's to many wonderful years to come!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

What a wonderful year 2010 has been to us. The Lord made it possible for us to make two more moves away from Texas, to Florida, and then back to Texas for a second time. He plucked our sweet angel from Heaven and sent her down for us to care for, and He led Eric and I through flight school, and helped him earn his wings! We were able to make trips home to visit family a couple of times, and we made some great new friends in Texas and Florida.

Reagan hit the four month mark and hit many milestones along the way. We are still in awe everytime we look at her sweet face. I have never understood Gods love more than when I look into her deep blue eyes. As much as we are in love with our sweet baby..... how much more is His love for us! May we never forget the power and majesty of the One who knit us together.

This is my prayer for the New Year....less talk and more action. We can say the right things all day long, but unless our actions match our words we are hypocrites!

Lord empower us to be more like You. Kind in spirit, and mighty in power.

We have been truly blessed and we will never forget how special 2010 was for our family.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!