Taking it one day at a time

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The last week has probably been the toughest time in my life. Never before have I felt such sadness. What started out as a fun-filled week at the beach, ended with a telephone call around midnight with the tragic news that Garrett’s step-dad had unexpectedly passed away. We are all heartbroken and ask that you lift us up in this time of need.  

These pictures were taken on day two of our vacation, just hours before we received the devastating news. They have become a constant reminder that we should hold our loved ones near and praise God for each and everyday!

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Julie and Mom drove over for the night so that Hendley and Trent could have some beach time. Their timing (or God’s) allowed us to head to Waycross, Ga as soon we received word. For the next three nights, mom and Julie kept Mary Reese and made a special trip to Atlanta to pick up more of our belongings. Their support was a tremendous source of comfort for G and I!

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2009 family pic

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Posted in death, family, mary reese, memories, places, pray | 4 Comments

two new friends and a haircut

Wednesday morning was spent with two new friends. We met Lofa and Nicole during our summer swim lessons and look forward to many more playdates together.

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Me: Where are you going, Mary Reese?

MR: To the “gras-rey” store, mama!

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MR’s first haircut!

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We said goodbye to the curls and hello to a new Farrah inspired cut.

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Posted in mary reese, memories, milestones | 4 Comments

Back to the basics

Sometimes its the simple things in life that we enjoy the most.

Holding hands,

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Being brave,

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Letting go,

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 and lots and lots of laughter!

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Beach recap

Our time at the beach was fabulous!

We ate lots of junk food,

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danced to some great live music,

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enjoyed local seafood,

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learned to love our floaties,

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rocked our new Petey Pie shirts,

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picked up a few new tricks,

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learned that three kids equals three times the fun and mess,

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added a new “crush” to the list,

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and…

laughed, loved, and gave plenty of hugs!

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Unfortunately, our 6 hour ride home was marked by high fever and several emergency pull-overs due to a very sick little girl. A trip to the pediatrician confirmed that MR has hand, foot, and mouth.  We’re praying for a speedy recovery so that MR can enjoy next weeks family vacation to Fernandina Beach, Florida. This will be MR’s fourth trip to the beach in three months; it’s a tough life for this little lady, but somebodies got to do it!

Posted in Petey Pie's, mary reese, memories, places | 3 Comments

Pencil me in

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This little lady has quite the social calendar these days. She returned from a girl’s vacation at the coast last Friday. Barely unpacked, her mama is scurrying around the house like a mad woman, trying to get ready for yet another round of festivities. G is leaving on Friday to go fishing with the boys and MR and I will be heading out on Sunday to Santa Rosa beach with some dear friends. My to do list is a mile long, but I can hardly wait to hit the road!

G and MR cheered the Braves to victory last night.

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Posted in mary reese, places | 2 Comments

A visit from K

K was my old next door neighbor in Crozet, Virginia. She is one of the most kind-hearted people I know. And, probably one of the few people that would brave an 8 hour trip down south with three kids under the age of four. Thanks to my sister, Julie, her effort did not go unnoticed. Not only did Julie turn her backyard into a child-friendly water park, but she also volunteered her sweet husband to man the grill. After hours of playing outdoors and catching up on girl-talk, we promptly shifted gears to the highlight of the evening—the first annual costume/dance off…here’s to many more in the years to come!

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The dance off…

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Girls trip to the coast

With G gone most of last week, we were more than excited to accept Gran C’s offer to take a girl’s trip to the coast.

For three wonderful days, we traded life in Atlanta for a view of the marsh.

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Microwave dinners were replaced with local seafood.

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me and mr

Bathing suits and princess attire became the official dress code.

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And holding Gran C’s hand became the highlight of every day.

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Posted in family, mary reese, memories, places | 3 Comments

Lots to smile about

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She’s full  of drama, smiles, and lots of laughter.  This sweet little girl brings me more joy than I have ever known!  With her daddy gone for the next couple of days, we delcared this week Camp Fun. We’re going to wear our PJ’s til noon, stay up late, read gossip magazines, and catch up on our favorite blogs. We’ve also got a brand new bag of Cheetos with our name written all over it…

Mismatched shoes have become the norm around here.

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And band-aids and Popsicles are in high demand after a tricycle accident off the front porch.

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These sweet friends always give us something to smile about. On Saturday we got together for pizza and live music at the market village.

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Posted in mary reese | 2 Comments