Time Marches On.....Winter 2013

Time does really keep going, and at such a fast pace these days.  We discovered Jon Hudson had probably had an ear infection for many months that never completely healed, thus leading to having ear tubes put in.  Hopes are that he will be a much happier child!!  Funny picture with him looking pretty drugged! Josie has had some trouble with her eyes and now has increased her cuteness by a serious margin with these pink rimmed frames :).  Jackson is enjoying his last year at home with us before Kindergarden starts later this summer...... I can't seem to keep up with his reading pace and we are running out of materials quickly.  His current favorites are The Magic Tree House series.  The librarian has to help us keep up with which of the series of 47 he has read.  No doubt he will be finished by the end of the summer.  Thanks Gran Pat for introducing such wonderful entertainment!

Always Having Fun!

Lifelong Friends

We met the Deatherages, Jonathan and Erin, during our first week at Seminary in Dallas in 2006.  Jonathan sat next to this sweet couple at orientation (something wives were invited to but I was working that day).  That very evening, Erin sought me out at another event to introduce herself.  I was so incredibly touched at her kindness and hospitality.  I think she saw the connection the "Jonathan's" had made during the day and knew somehow we would be lifelong friends.  And we are!  We walked through Seminary together, pregnancy together, children, parenting, campus housing (need I say more), graduation, jobs, and on and on.  They came to visit us over the Thanksgiving holiday.  It was so refreshing to catch up and let the kids reconnect.  They are such a beautiful family and their friendship blesses us beyond words.  I am so grateful that I will call them friends now and family for eternity.

Such serious talk! I'm sure it was about the future marriage plans.....haha.

Such sweet friends.

Our Fall

Our Fall kept us busy with lots of activity.  Jackson had a blast playing on his first soccer team with Upward Soccer.  He had a great experience and really improved as the season progressed.  And he looked good in his uniform too I might say!

This little man is wasting no time growing up on me.....he seemed to change from baby to toddler overnight!

A local farm opens through September and October and provides a really cool educational experience for the kids.  Jackson and Josie now know how to milk a cow, gather eggs, and grow a garden.....I should put them to work now!

Their Gran Pat retired this year and worked part time at this farm....hosting lots of school field trips.  She snuck a baby chick out for us.....they were so gentle.....really a sneak peak into both Jackson and Josie's souls!

Last year to pull off a theme!  I'm sure it will be super hero's and princesses from now on.  

Sea of Birthdays

Our season of birthdays began in August.....  

Josie, turning 3, asked for a cake for breakfast and she got her wish.

Which of course prompted Jackson to ask for the same on his 5th.

They all celebrated officially on the same day (3 for the price of 1).  Thankfully I can still get away with that!  Since Jon Hudson was celebrating his first, the scales were in his favor concerning the cake!

These days Josie is all about the outdoors!  Mama Z and Papa Z nailed it with this sand box....the dirtier she gets, the happier she is!

We had to officially sing the Baby Shark song, being that is is a favorite of all three.  We really had a blast at their party!

Baby Shark

Obviously one of Jon Hudson's favorite songs.....and his two performers seem to like it as well.  Jonathan brought this camp song home and it became a bit hit!

Summertime Cuties

We spent a wonderful summer (and then some) living with my (Holly) parents while in transition between Texas and Tennessee.  We were blessed beyond words as both my parents and Jonathan's mom gave us a much needed time of rest as they gave and gave and kept on giving to our weary family.  Our time at seminary had been wonderful and very full but we were very ready to have the help of willing grandparents to love on our babies and yes, even us :).  Jon Hudson was still nursing when we moved and not even close to sleeping through the night.  Jonathan was jumping full time into his new role as Family Pastor at a local church.  Jackson and Josie were doing their best to adjust to living without their beloved friends from birth in Dallas and finding new routines.  I took some time off from working and we found the slower pace of West Tennessee was refreshing as the summer months past.  OK, not really slower for Jonathan in his new job, but slower for the kids and myself....haha.  For such a huge transition, our family was poured into by our new church family and our parents, grandparents, etc.  How incredibly thankful we are for that precious time.  

Jon Hudson at 9 months

Jackson and Daddy read through the Hobbit over the summer together.

Jon Hudson at 10 months

We spent several afternoons at the lake with some friends.  The kids got to take their first boat ride and it was really nostalgic for me as this was the same water I grew up waterskiing on with my family.

Josie is my little water bug.  She found her greatest pleasures in the baby pool in the back yard.