Providential Friendships...

Jeremy and Rebekah

Rebekah and I (the men declined a boys-only pic ;))

In church, we have been learning about providential friendships. These friends bring you closer to the Lord and together, you display God's love to each other in emotional, physical and spiritual ways. Blair and I had great pleasure in going out to dinner (kidless!) and starbucks with two of our favorite people. We have not lived in the same area in over 4 years, but know that they will be lifelong friends. They have a little one (Sophie) that is 1 week younger then Taylor. What a joy it will be to continue to see how God shapes our lives in the years to come.

"Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm" Proverbrs 13:20

yep, I'm a cutie!

Taylor is getting so much personality lately. She is so sweet, patient, loving. She gets upset, but not nearly to the level that big sis did. It is so strange for me to see how different they are, but I think it is good that they will grow up with different strengths/weaknesses. Bailey can get really, really happy and really, really mad. Taylor seems to be a little more even-keeled. She loves to be held and in these pics she was not only held by Grammie, but also looking at Skittles the cat and Rocky the dog. Oh, the joy!

Faces at Grammie's

Taylor caught her a creature.....


Bailey + chocolate bag....
Pure joy...
bad doggie beging a good doggie....
contemplation.....

Gainesville fun

Bailey and Grandma drinking soy milk together- CHEERS!

Grammie with 2 of her grandbabies
making a drum

Christmas at the Cellon's

Taylor (8mo) and Alice (11mo) playing with Alice's new walker car!

The aftermath. See Bailey's Nemo pillow on the chair Grammie made? Awesome!
Alice- I could eat her up!
Uncle Johnny with his loot
Aunt Lindz and Alice recovering from a stomach bug (that they joyously passed to everyone else except my immediate family- even my Mom and Dad got it somehow!)
Grammie, Bailey (with a Nemo fishy) and Poppy
Uncle Blair and Alice(poor pitiful alice was so sick)

ring-a-round-a-rosie

ring-a-round-a-rosie. pocket-full-a-posie. ashes. ashes. we-all-fall-down!

Bailey and Taylor love dancing with Grandma! (I think Grandma likes it too!)

Haiti

Many of you may not know, but I went to Haiti on a Medical Mission Trip in 2002. It was for only a week, but what a life-changing week for me. As a young nursing student, I saw poverty like that week that I still haven't seen since (even the Tsunami hit Banda Aceh was better off then regular day Haiti). My heart has been so burdened for this country. I have been to the Port Au Prince airport. Ya'll, it is the roughest airport you would ever see.....one bathroom for the whole thing. I did not spend much time in Port Au Prince excpet to fly in/out of, but it was a very crowded, very poor place to be. My prayers are that God will bring healing to this country that has known spiritual, emotional and physical desolation for many, many years. Blair and I are hoping to adopt a child from Haiti from Compassion. So many children are hopeless and despair there....I can't even imagine how many more are now orphans. God, save them!

Taylor 8 months, Bailey 28 months

Grandma Patterson, Bailey, Grandpa Patterson, Taylor
While we were gone, Taylor turned 8 months and Bailey 28 months. Here is what they have been up to:

Taylor-
*you are a master-sitter at this point and are VERY close to crawling. You love to play with your
toys and eat paper (yuck).
*you sleep from 7:30-7:30, waking up twice to eat.
*coo and say dada indiscriminately
*were eating some baby food, but since then have turned up your nose to any food other then milk, although you love water out of your sippy
*LOVE Snickers the cat and Bailey and think both are hilarious
*takes 2 naps a day
*you are a joy to be around and overall are a very content and smiley baby.

Bailey-
*you are talking up a storm and say pretty much anything. My favorite is when we pray and you say "Amen, Amen Taylor" for your sister :)
*love the Wonderpets, Dora, Blue's Clues and anything having to do with Nemo (every fish is a Nemo fish)
*moved from a crib to toddler bed (with about a week of rough transition)
*hop or run everywhere you go.
*love to color/draw/chalk/paint
*go very easy to daycare/church. You don't even want to say good-bye!
*are the apple of your parent's and grandparent's eyes.
*love hot dogs, oatmeal, pumpkin muffins, nuggets, and all fruit.

Merry Christmas

Uncle Travis and Aunt Natalie reading some of our new books to us






Bailey's new Little People castle with all her WonderPets and Little Blue keeping guard.

Christmas Eve

(above pic- Mom and I wrapping last minute gifts)

Christmas Eve at my parent's was a very nice day and evening. Blair and I had the privelege of going out to eat in Destin (even though it was freezing and torrentially raining). We went to a Asian Fusion place and I had Pad Thai (yea!), then we caught the movie Invictus (highly, highly recommend). It was great going on a date- thanks Mom and Dad for watching the girls!

Tales
Bales
All ready for Christmas fun!

Christmas Lights in DeFuniak

Only in NW Florida can you go to college 4 hours from home, marry a local boy whose brother marries a girl from a town very near Crestview, who happens to be cousins with my roommate. Yes folks, I am from a hick town if there was ever one! We met up with my sis in law and her family in DeFuniak for the local Christmas Lights around the lake. The prisoners put these up every year. It was a nice walk and great tradition to start.

Bailey and Cousin Alice (now walking!!!)
Dinosaurs for Christmas?


The girls: Taylor, Anna, Alice, Alana, Bailey (Anna and Alana are my sis in law's sister's kids).

Christmas Trip Day 2

Are you ready for Christmas.?.....
I love my Grandma and her view of the Lake!
Bailey and Billy Bass....pushing that button over..and over...and over...
Playing with Grandma, having lots and lots of fun!

Captain Blair Thomas Cellon

Congratulations Blair! We are so very proud of you. (I forgot to take my camera to the actual ceremony, but wouldn't have had a chance to take pics anyway as I was corralling the Tales and Bales the whole time). Blair's boss gave an awesome speech about Blair and what an awesome Marine he is. Such a special time for our family (other then getting lost on the way to his job.....I think he works in the safest place on the planet....you can't even get there with directions :)).