Home

We are home. We are home after a 16 day vacation in the Bahamas. Yes, life is hard. We had an amazing time diving, fishing, body surfing (I was declared champion in the final round), shelling, spear fishing, and spending quality time as a family. The first half of the vacation was spent on Hope Town Island in the outer Abaco Islands. I LOVE this place, we have been visiting their since I was in my early teens. The island is only about 12- 18 miles long (depending on where you start measuring) and has only a few thousand year round residents. We have no cell phone or computer coverage so it is true vacation. Our days looked like this
1. Wake up to sunrise overlooking the ocean. I would go for a long run, the kids would play random games around the adults as they drank coffee, made breakfast and talked news and etc.
2. Head out the back door for the long 25 yd walk down the porch steps into the sand of our own beach where we would body surf, boogie board and build awesome sand castles.
3. Back inside for a rinse, lunch and a nap (adults included)
4. Back outside to repeat step 2.
5. Back inside to rinse, make dinner from the fresh fish, lobster and conch we caught that day. Baths. After dinner games of UNO, Zingo, or a short walk to the ice cream shop.
6. Bed

some days instead of the beach we would spend the snorkeling the national reefs. We saw AMAZING fish, sharks, HUGE starfish, coral...we would fish a lot (Pace caught the most) and then spear whatever we could. We would pack lunches, snooze on the boat, find other islands to picnic on...

It was a blast, I am counting down the 365 days until next year!

5 years of awe

I stand in awe of God's creation when I look at Pace, our oldest son. He is 5 today and what an amazing blessing he is in our lives. He is filled with such compassion for the world, a mind that never stops trying to understand far beyond his years, and a heart that is a picture of the purest love. Pace gave me my first understanding of what God's love for me as his child looks like, this was the most perfect gift on a special birthday.

Happy Birthday Boy!

Absolute Retraction

I am a woman of absolutes. I just think and then speak that way. Makes life a bit black and white but I like it that way. Others dont, but well I do. Like:
I absolutely believe their is only one way to heaven and that is through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I absolutely believe I married the greatest man in the world.
I absolutely would do anything for my children.
I absolutely think that Gator Nation is the greatest thing in college sports.
Until now, I have really never had to go back on any of my absolutes. Unfortunately, I was in for a big surprise last night. Dear friends of ours, the Askews & co. invited us over for dinner and some Wii action. Until now, my absolute about video games was...They are absolutely pointless and we will absolutely never have one in our home. I have to absolutely retract that statement and only say this... once I have saved enough rainy day cash we will absolutely be getting a Wii and I will absolutely have a boxing rematch with Courtney and Nancy as I was sucker punched! It was great fun and I am absolutely exhausted and sore from playing! Check it out, you absolutely wont be disappointed!

say cheese 2

here are some more updated photos from the next directory. if you click on the nighware, hats and mittens and scroll through the collections page, there are some other great ones...enjoy!

Say Cheese

Here are Pace's latest pics from Filou and Friends shoot. He is on some of the billboards over there I think. Check them out, he is getting too big!

If you go to collections and then click on Filou and Friends you will find most of the photos. After that, if you surf through the site, and go through the different options like "corporate", FAQ, and ect, you will see more pics of him. Enjoy!

Love is part 3

Love is making a tray of Lasagna for your husband to eat while you will be out of town.
Love is running out into the pouring rain to "save" you son's prized (at the moment) stuffed animal.
Love is the ache you feel when your child wakes from a nap and runs frantically around the house looking for you while you stepped out front to get the mail and trying to calm him down while he explains he thought something happened to you.
Love is knowing that although you remember your sins of the day before, God has not only forgiven you but forgotten.
Love is the ability to keep offering hugs and kisses at 5:32 pm when all three kids are crying, the dinner buzzer is going off, your power is flickering from the storm and you are still trying to remember if you brushed your teeth this morning.

Happy Birthday

3 Years ago blessing number 2 came into our lives. Chipper Dash Edwards was given to us. Today he is growing into a child with tremendous will, an adventurous mind, and a spirit that is full of bliss and life. He no doubt will run a small country, lead many men to follow Christ, and constantly have us on pins and needles as he trots into many different life threatening adventures. He loves to wrestle anything from the dog to dad, make sound effects with every move he makes and gives every ounce of energy to everything he does. We love this little boy with all our heart. Happy Birthday Dash!