Remembering...

This week has brought such a whirlwind of emotions. I was able to spend precious moments Wednesday afternoon with my Aunt Wanda and Uncle Dub all to myself while we waited in the emergency room. We spent hours that afternoon talking about when they both were saved and baptized, about Carter & Lilah's baptism this weekend, the peace that brings, and about so many memories from my childhood. My sister & I spent many hours as kids at their house and they have just petted us absolutely rotten our entire lives. Since our mom got sick 24 years ago, they spent a lot of time standing in the gap for her. They rocked my babies, fussed over them, and petted them even more rotten (if that's possible) than they do Crystal & I. I can't even count how many baby blankets & booties Aunt Wanda spent hours and hours making for them, or how many hours they rocked and loved on them. I never imagined when I left the hospital on Wednesday night things would take the turn they did. The kids & I spent the entire day at the hospital on Thursday after being called in for fear of the worst. The kids were able to talk to their beloved Uncle Dub for most of that day. He perked right up when they came in. They told him they loved him and he did the same....many sweet sweet moments were shared that day, including a lengthy visit with his only surviving sister, Jean. Yesterday was heartbreaking as we knew for sure the end was near, and today, in the early morning hours I got the call to come quickly. I didn't make it back in time, but my heart is at peace. I know for sure he knew I loved him and I have a lifetime of memories that will always remind me of the love he had for me....and my babies. 

Please remember Aunt Wanda, Jeanette, Scott, & Shannon in prayer in the coming days. I'm exhausted physically & emotionally, I know they all are, especially Aunt Wanda!! Remember his only living sibling Jean Frost as well. Please also remember my broken hearted babies. They have just cried and cried today. Say a special prayer for my sweet tender hearted Carter. He has a big job to do for the funeral. As an honorary pall bearer, he will walk in front of the casket. 

Arrangements for WL Hancock:
Kerby Funeral Home
Visitation- Sunday 4-8pm CST
Monday 10-3
Funeral-Monday at 3

Fly By Fun...

This past weekend was crazy busy! Full of food, fun, fphotos, and of course, Fathers! We had cookouts on Friday and Saturday nights and on Saturday I did pictures for an adorable family and then senior portraits for a sweetheart of a kid who I can't even believe is about to be a senior! I'm also trying to finish a photography course I'm taking and some Photoshop classes before the baby is born and what little sense I have left goes out the window for a while.

Busy...but sooooo fun!! I am so humbled as I watch God work in our family. A year ago if anyone had asked me to take so much as a snapshot of them I would have laughed really loudly then would have promptly reminded them that my sister is the photographer in our family....not me! But God is providing. The camera, the photoshop (CS4!!! SQUEALLLLLLLLL!)...even the training. Like I said, I am so humbled.


All that said, by far the highlight of my son's weekend was when a longtime friend of the family provided us with a fabulous airshow at Dad's house. I have great memories flying with this man when I was a kid. We always had such fun, and I have to give props to my dad who held on tight to his puke bag for every flight, but still tagged along for the sake of me and my sister!

I have to admit though, when he made his dive then headed straight for the tractor which held my dad, my nephew, and my son....well, I nearly fainted.

Look:



Dad & the kids are standing in front of the tractor. You can barely see them! (I wasn't expecting the show so all I had was my 50mm lens (a prime, no zoom!) and no time to grab anything different!

Then he circled around for a second go at the kids and came directly over the house. I took this shot as he was right over my head. (I was standing on the porch!) Remember NO ZOOM!! This was such a cool picture I thought it was screaming for a bit of texture, so I added some. What do you think?



After a great time with family, lots of laughing, lots of eating, lots of loving on my dad......

Our heavenly Father showed off with a beautiful sunset.....

....a sunset that was even beautiful AFTER the sun set!

Go DRachel's Ballgame?...

Update: Rachel's team did not win at state, but we are still so incredibly proud of the girls and their coaches! Thank you all so much for your comments! I know that Rachel loved reading them!

......Go Matthew's Ballgame??

(when Carter says "Rachel" it comes out "DRachel", thus the title of this post)

These are questions I have heard soooo many times this summer! Carter absolutely loves going to watch his big cousins play baseball (or football, or basketball)! And so do I!

This year Rachel played again on the 7-8 yr old softball team. The regular season ended a month or so ago, but this year Rachel was chosen to play on the All Star team for this area! Now, anyone who has ever played ball knows what a big honor this is!

I know that when I played softball (a long time ago!) the last night of the league tournament was always was such an exciting night! All the teams would gather on the field after the championship game for the trophy presentation. First the teams who placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the league and in the tournament got their trophy, then the players who were chosen for the All Stars team were called from each team. It was such fun, and such a big deal to have your name called for that team! Then you practiced with your new teammates for a few weeks as you geared up for the district tournament. If you happened to be a good enough team and worked hard enough (and had a little good luck thrown in) to win the district, you got to go to the state tournament!

Well, on July 2, Rachel's All Star team won their district in one of the most exciting tournaments I've been to! They played 3 games to win and let me just tell you, they may only be 7 and 8 years old but these girls can play some softball! Every single game left me exhausted from the sheer excitement of it! (oh, and chasing Carter.....but big cousin Matthew helped tremendously in this area! Thanks again, Matthew!!)

Rachel and her All Star team will be traveling to Montgomery tomorrow to play in their first game of the state tournament! The girls (and their parents & coaches) have been working hard to raise money to pay for the trip! I am so excited for them! We won't be able to go that far to watch her play. Her Uncle Kyle has to work and I fear that I would never recover from a 4 hour (one way) car trip and an overnight stay with a 2 yr old and a 3 month old by myself!

So, would you please join me in wishing Rachel and her team the very best of luck this weekend?? I am praying that everyone has a safe trip there and back, and that each game is played with good sportsmanship and each player has a safe, FUN game! Oh,....and of course, that our team wins!! If they do win this state tournament, they would then go to Louisiana!

Rachel was my biggest prayer warrior when I was pregnant with Lilah. Even on the morning of my C Section she asked her parents and brother to have prayer for us with her before they got out of the car to go into the hospital! Lilah's middle name, Rae, was after Rachel (and my dad, and Kyle's grandfather) and I will never forget the look on her face when we told her that we were naming Lilah after her. She is such an amazing little girl, and we love her and her big brother Matthew, who just turned 10, so very much!!

So again, will you please join me in wishing Rachel and her team the very best of luck this weekend? I know there are alot of you who read but don't comment, but I'm asking you to comment this time! I'm gonna call Rachel later to tell her to read my blog and I'd love for her to have tons of well wishes in the comments to read! **Don't forget to leave your name so she knows who's wishing her good luck!**

Thanks! You guys are awesome!

Here are a few pics of the team from the district tournament!

and this one is from the day Lilah was born, Rachel peeking at her through the nursery!
I don't know if this was the first time Rachel held her or not ('cause I spent most of that day unconscious and don't remember much of anything!) but it's one of my favorites! They had gotten to the hospital around 5:30 AM, Lilah was born at 6:28 AM and this picture was taken at 12:55 PM. I know she had to be exhausted but she was determined to stay and hold her little namesake!