Weeeeeeee!

I just wanted to post these fun pictures of Sadie at the park. We went looking for swings and found this slide instead that she loved. She really likes being outside and loves watching birds! She points and them and squeals. We think she might have said "Birdie" a couple of times, but it's not real clear yet.

Halloween

For Halloween we went to a Trunk or Treat. Sadie was a pumpkin. I thought she was super cute. We went with Rachel, Kris, and Lincoln and had a great time. Sadie and Lincoln enjoyed being in the wagon. Lincoln loved taking the candy out of one bag and putting it into the other. He would also try to give the candy from his bag to the people instead of taking it from them. What a sweet boy! Sadie had fun too. She hung on to her M&M’s and didn‘t want to let go. The Trunk or Treat was a great way for us to enjoy Halloween, but it wasn’t too much. Enjoy our pictures.

Happy Halloween!

Tarzan and the Pumpkin! Too cute!

Here's Sadie. Enjoying the ride.



Sadie and Lincoln. "Trick or Treat!"

Daddy with the Pumpkin, starting to get tired.

One pooped pumpkin!

Birthday Weekend #2

So last weekend was another birthday celebration. Gabe's parents, Nana and Big Daddy, came to visit. We also had a party with some friends on Sunday afternoon. My friend, Jenny, helped me make some cute rubber duckie cakes that I have to say turned out better than I expected. Thanks Jenny for all your help!!! The party turned out to be very nice. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends here that are family to us. I do not know how I would have made it through the past year without the encouragement and help from everyone. We also just feel so blessed that Sadie is able to have such wonderful examples of loving, caring Christian people.

Now a little about Sadie. I just have to say that she has been such a blessing to our lives. She is just a joy to be around and her smile makes me smile no matter what I feel like. She is saying Mama and Dada. She also can sign, "All Done" and she just started "Please." She also will say "All Done," but it is more like "AAAHHH DAAAA." She will say "Hi" when she is waving too! The whole year has been amazing and I love seeing her grow and change. I try everyday to make sure she knows that we love her and that she is a special little girl. I look forward to the future and to being able to share more memories with her. I pray that God will continue to guide us and help me as I try to nuture her and lead her to Him.

I can't say enough how amazed I have been at how God works and the way that he continues to work in me and increase my faith. Since we decided to start trying to have children it has been a journey and I sure did not know what I was in for at the beginning, but I wouldn't go back for anything. I always had those fears of not knowing what to do with a baby and I was remembering being in the hospital when Sadie was born. I remember that she was crying one morning and I just looked at Gabe. He said, "Just sing to her." I told him that I didn't know what to sing and he said that it didn't matter becasue I was her Mama. After a few tears, I remember making a conscience choice at that time to do something that didn't come "natural" to me, but that I knew was what I needed to do. I just started singing. As I was rocking Sadie this week before she went to bed and making up some silly song about her, I just smiled in amazement at not just how much Sadie has changed in the past year, but how much I have changed too. (Also, how thankful I am for Gabe and the truth that he has to speak to me quite often!) I use to hear people say all the time that God is good and I would agree, but I really belive that I needed some more experiences in my life to learn and know more what that means. Having Sadie has shown me over and over that I am so not in control and that I can not do things on my own, but if I will ask, Wow! Amazing things can happen! I love you sweet girl and Happy Birthday!!!!

I think Sadie liked the tissue paper more than the presents.

She loved her first birthday cake!

Sadie, Daddy, and Mama blowing out the candle.

I thought the cakes turned out pretty cute. The party was a rubber duckie theme, just in case you couldn't tell.

Here we are, all ready to party!

Sadie and Linclon. Just hangin out.

Birthday Weekend #1

Grandma and Grandpa came this weekend to celebrate Sadie's first Birthday. We had a busy weekend, but had a good time. Saturday was Lincoln's first birthday so we went to his party on Saturday. We also just spent time hanging out at the house. Grandma and Grandpa got Sadie a toy that she can push and walk behind. She really likes it! She pushes it all over the place, but shows her independence. She gets frustrated when she runs into something, but does not want anyone helping her to get it going again. I would like to say she gets that from her dad, but I think it comes from me. Anyway, there are some pictures of Lincoln's party, Sadie getting her present, and eating some cake. More celebrating to come this weekend so stay tuned...

We were also visited by our good friends Ryan and Angela. It was so good to see them.

Sadie trying out her cake. She was not quite sure what to do.

Sadie with her presents from Grandma and Grandpa.

Rachel and Lincoln with his first birthday cake! Happy Birthday Lincoln!!

Lincoln enjoying his cake.

Sadie and Lincoln- They are such good friends.

Summer 2008-Back Packing in Colorado

Okay, I've decided I'm going to blog about our summer! I'm going to start with Colorado. This was the one trip that Gabe had been looking forward to since Sadie was born and I had been dreading since he first mentioned it. Gabe loves the mountains and he loves backpacking. Real backpacking! He has wanted to take Sadie since we found out we were pregnant (he was actually snowshoeing when I found out!) so I knew I wasn't going to get out of it. I was very anxious about it and nervous, but God totally took care of us and I am so glad that I went.

We ended up going with a pretty big group. Our friends Les and Jenny and their girls Hannah and Sarah went. Then their friends Leslie and Kristie went. Then Leslie's brothers Jimmy and Corbin, and then their friends Ross and Reagan. Whew! Did you get all that. Anyway, Leslie rented a BEAUTIFUL cabin outside of Pagosa Springs. Words can not even describe it so I'm not going to try, but it was breath taking. We left on a Saturday morning and drove up there. About 20 minutes outside of Pagosa Springs, our car broke down. That was the not so fun part of the trip, but we got it towed and it was fixed by the time we left so I'm not going to dwell on that. We spent Sunday and Monday at the cabin just hanging out, reading books, going on hikes, visiting with each other, and eating great food. Jenny is a great cook and planned out all of our meals. Gabe is a great cook too and helped out in the kitchen. Leslie's mom also made very yummy breads and baked goods. It was so great. I trully believe that God put us together to go on this trip and to spend time with each other. I was so blessed just to sit and listen to wise people. It was a very relaxing trip, but at the same time, I think I was thinking the whole time. Just comments that people would make or conversations that would go on, I know God was at work in me. I don't think I have figured out exactly everything that was going on yet, but I trust he will show me. Maybe that's the big thing I got from the trip was that God WILL show me what he wants me to know. I just have to trust that he will and listen.

So, on with the backpacking. We headed out early Tuesday morning. We all drove to the trail head. We went to the Weminuche Wilderness. (Hope that is spelled right.) We started out on the trail and had an almost immediate detour. I never thought there would be a detour sign in the wilderness, but there was. We headed down this different trail and it was very muddy and steep. I was trying not to think about the fact that we were going to have to come back up it to get out. I was so worried and nervous about how Sadie would do in the backpack, not getting naps, a little off her schedule, etc. Of course, she did great! She absolutely loved the backpack. She loved just looking out at everything. She also liked looking down at the ground. She would eat whenever we stopped and fell asleep when she was tired. I think she also liked all the sounds, but also the quietness of it. Gabe kept saying that he really thought that there was just something about her being in nature that was just calming. I have to agree. All of the people that were with us were so great too. They just loved on her the whole time and were so encouraging.

The hiking for me was pretty good. I loved seeing everything and being able to be with Sadie. I'm not going to say that it was easy. It definitley was not, but I survived and now that I have had time to think about it, I would do it again. And just to let you know, going out (up the detour) was not good, but Gabe was a great encouragement to me and got me through it.

Camping was an experience with Sadie. She was tired, but couldn't get comfortable so she didn't sleep very good which means that we didn't sleep very good. I was glad that we decided to stop before everyone else and camp because she was not quiet during the night and I don't think anyone would have slept good near us.

It was just a really great trip and I am so grateful that our family was invited and that I didn't let my apprehensions keep me from going. I can not say enough about the wonderful, Spirit led people that God has brought into our lives and has put in place to have an influence on me and Gabe and also on Sadie. I just continue to pray that God will work in me and help me to really hear him.

I've posted a few of the pictures. Hopefully, I can post some more later. We had some great photographers on the trip so I'll share some of those a little later.

Sadie and Daddy, hanging out in the tent!

Sadie and I are both worn out after the first day of hiking.

Our family posing in the wilderness.

Hannah and Sarah with Sadie eating breakfast before we headed out.

Sadie and Gabe cooking breakfast in the cabin.

Fun Stuff!

Sadie has been doing some really cute stuff lately and I was able to catch a few pictures today. She is developing more and more of a personality everyday. She will be a year old in a few days so we are planning a celebration! Stay tuned for that! We are also getting ready for Grandpa and Grandma next week, then Big Daddy and Nana the next. It should be a lot of fun! Enjoy the pictures!

Okay, I know this is a picture of the back of her head, but I just love her little curls.

She has a little book that has a picture with a mirror on it where she can see herself. One of her new favorite things to do is to give herself a kiss.

Sadie is also fascinated with cell phones. She will put her hand or whatever she is holding up to her ear like she is talking on the phone if she sees anyone talking on the phone. She has the camera case in the picture, it's kind of hard to see.