familia wade

2012-02-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

I told Asha she could go out to play
under one condition ...

she put on her hat and gloves!

love this little elfkin

jon had the car the other day.
we had to go somewhere.
we used the front facing carseat.
she felt like the queen of sheba.
she played with it the rest of the day!

hanging out

checking out

standing out

a little game we play

zipping across the hard woods
in our office chair

weeeeeeeeeeee!

she's done with bland baby food
she's ready for the goods!
tonight, she shoveled our favorite shrimp meal
into her mouth by the handfuls!

today was 71 degrees ... wanna come and visit?

2012-01-26T19:58:00.000-08:00

the unicorn effect

sounding her barbaric YAWP in the
drum of the old dryer

caught in the act
helping mom unload a bag of
clothes from aunt shannie

time to relax atop of her spoils!

maybe two of my all time favorite pics

2012-01-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

one love.

some of her favorites

2012-01-20T19:24:00.000-08:00

anne of green gables

her Christmas gloves from the
Redd clan

when i put them on her, i expected her
to immediately try to take them off -
but she loved them and kept waving at herself
with them on

cat naps in the car

2012-01-20T19:06:00.000-08:00

Asha could be nominated for Baby of the Year
in pretty much every category

being a good 'eater' is top on the list

the most recent "did she really eat/drink that?" items
were:

spicy tomato juice on the plane ride home
grapefruit (without flinching)
mate - just kidding, not until she's a year:)
and salsa

what?
i have a taste for the exotic, haha

Double Digits Baby, Double Digits

2012-01-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Months that is ...

ASHA SCOUT

10 months
20.04 lbs
28 " long

man, we love this kid.
she really takes her smooches seriously

waxing nostalgic ...

2012-01-13T11:13:00.001-08:00

compliments of olivia and her sweet iphone

celebrating
9 fabulous years

mango lassi, anyone?

Grandpa Marc

snuggling with lili bug
and her new fleecy

sweet little visit from melody
asha wants to know why we're so giddy ...

hangin with uncle bri before the epic road trip

love this little expression

christmas breakfast

christmas eve!

visiting grandpa bob's grave

asha's first time

who is most excited about this shot?
paige
me
or
jeff

3 little cousins and their matching jammies

olivia's magic

post christmas
back in raleigh

it's a little harder to take her
monthly pictures now

but, here she is!!
in all her 9 month glorybeautiful shot of a beautiful little climber

post bath
look at all that radical hair

"so, do you come to reggae bars often?"

cutest onesie in the world

asha enjoyed the one big snowfall
during our entire month there we loved being in utah
around so much love

Looks like ...

2011-12-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

someone feels right at home!

Day Two

2011-12-10T22:26:00.000-08:00

We woke bright and early today to play some indoor soccer at the church with friends old and new. It was a blast! We played for 2 1/2 glorious hours.

After soccer we returned to Shane and Mauralee's place to shower, ride the zipline, drive around Shane's remote control car, and say our goodbyes. I love this family

After a tasty visit to Sitar (yummy Indian food), we rolled to Rasputin's pad for El Clásico. I never tire of watching Barcelona smoke Real Madrid. 3-1 baby!

After the game we jumped in the car and drove to St. Louis, where we are sleeping tonight. Tomorrow is the longest of our days on the road: St. Louis to Northern Colorado. Tomorrow is also the day we will hit 300,000 miles! We currently sit at 299,950. I realized today that I choked by not bringing some James Brown tunes on the trip . What could be better than "Superbad" or "Get Up Off of That Thing" for celebrating the milestone?

In this pic you can see the 2 beginning to make its move. 300,000 is so close!

Day One

2011-12-10T21:59:00.000-08:00

After taking Em and Asha to the airport, returning to our place, and eating as many perishables as possible, Brian and I packed up YTY. Before jumping in the car, however, we decided that we would juggle the soccer ball 60 times (the idea being that we would do this in every city we stop at along the way, totaling 300 altogether). An hour later, and at least four times in the 50s, we finally achieved our goal and got on our way. We began at 299,003.

It's all about "One Love" and "Givin is Livin."
Who could resist putting the Barcelona scarf there as well? Not me

A second before the picture actually took the trunk came crashing down on our heads (doesn't hold up like it used to).

It is a sin to drive past Asheville without dropping by the Chocolate Lounge. With YTY driving as if she had just come off the lot, we had much to celebrate.

Two words: liquid truffle. "What is that?" you say. Only the most divine drink you will ever taste in your life. I scraped my little mug clean. Brian was in heaven, adding a piece of cake, a brownie, and a cookie as well.

It was a great first day. We got into Nashville just after midnight. YTY averaged 36 miles/gallon. Gonna make it. Gonna make it. Gonna make it. . .

One Final Road Trip. . .

2011-12-08T05:03:00.000-08:00

At the ripe old age of 20, and after 12 years with me, YTY is ready for her swan song. I bought the car (1991 Honda Civic) for $3,000. It had 122,000 miles at the time. Nearing 300,000 miles, Emily and I had been talking about what road trip we would take to commemorate the milestone. Instead of flying to Utah with Em and Asha, I'll be driving from Raleigh to SLC with my throwback sidekick Brian. We have shared many-a-mile in that car already, although it has been a number of years since we hit the road together. The adventure begins tomorrow. The probable itinerary consists of Raleigh to Nashville to Kansas City to Berthoud to Salt Lake. ETA = Monday night. YTY will reach 300,000 somewhere in Kansas, I'm guessing, at which time a wild rumpus will ensue. We'll be posting pics and stories as we go, and hope you respond with your own YTY memories along the way.

8 months

2011-12-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

Measuring this little bug has become quite tricky

now that she likes to sit up, roll, and quasi crawl.

Eight months. Eight grateful months!

The grossest thing ever
happened while I was getting out our Christmas decorations -
which are mostly handmade treasures from little Jonny Lingo.
I found a 20+ year old gingerbread man ornament
that was as soft as if it had been baked yesterday
and covered in mold.
Yuck.

Up waaaaaaay past her bedtime
watching the Christmas devotional -
love those sleepy little eyeballs.
Her new favorite pastime ...

heavenly blissaka sunday afternoon naps

futebol, thanksgiving, and whitey

2011-11-24T19:15:00.000-08:00

asha makes the beautiful game

even more beautifuleverything, in fact, is more beautiful with this champ around a little blurry, but i just love this little face

whitey has been a little rickety for the last little while
and we have been afraid to cruise around in her with asha.
but, after a good tune up and a couple of new tires
she is gold.
so-asha's dream finally came true
and she was able to fall in love with whitey like we all have
she loved the view from the hatchback
givin is livin is all i gotta say people.
givin is livinasha accidentally forgot her jersey -

she had to wear her papi's during the gameour little hippie/gypsy/woodsprite

in her sweet little skirt Grandma Jane gifted her

at the wonderful Howington's homethe Richards clanthe chef de cuisine and her sous-chef

wowand wow

no need for a washcloth here
mom will just suck the food off my hands
and then get caught in the act!

first dinner roll ... yummers

so full of gratitude and
so very excited
to celebrate our Savior's birth
with this little cherub.
it is going to be one amazing
Christmas season!

2011-11-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

it went like this:
asha would look at me just long enough
to get a bite of food

then, with her mouth full
she would look back at jon
and flirt with her daddy

this one is my favorite
at the end of a meal
when she has eaten everything in her little bowl
i will put my hands above my head and yell
gooooooooool
a perfect imitation!
she discovered she loves apples
she licks them like an ice cream cone
(the video is a million times better!)

two buddies

her big smile always includes her tongue

what's she diggin' lately?
straps, ties, zippers and
a toothbrush haha

some favorites

2011-11-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

look who's posing for the camera haha
she was just sitting there, relaxing.
then i pulled out the camera
and she pulled out this smile!

oh, how i love this kid!

she always prays before we eat

my best little buddy.

one of the best days of our lives

2011-11-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

together forever
juntos para siempre
insieme per sempre

our cups runneth over ... daily
it's going to be one amazingly thankful thanksgiving

what we've been up to

2011-11-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

melting hearts

holding the bottle ... with our feet!

eating solids: rice cereal, sweet potatoes & avocado

smiling angelic gummy smiles

looking like cousin maddie
getting some great exercise in the jumper

holding the bottle

all by herself!
wanna join us?

so many costumes ... so little time

2011-11-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

the swimmer

sophie, la girafe

scout finch wade

if you put me in this pumpkin thing again ...

the cutest strawberry ever

our little leopard

A series of photos to dispel all doubt

2011-11-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

While we were in town, Liz, Alli, and I

had a conversation
about whether Asha was
a daddy's girl
or a
mommy's girl.
Sensing a need to sway their opinions
I proceeded to show them every bit of evidence
(videos, pics, etc)
of her absolute elation when she's with me.

I'm afraid those don't hold a candle to these ...

I mean look at that face!

totally enamored

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:08:00.001-07:00

From one cute little calabaza!

2011-10-26T16:53:00.001-07:00

our new favorite "baby wearing" contraption

the ergo
it's like a giant bear hug
thanks to michelle and rob
(paigey will love it:)
it's made for front/back and side carrying
for kids up to 90 lbs

she loves to be outside
after we come in from a walk,
she still wants that delightful fresh air

walah!

it's still pretty chilly when these two go running
but (much to jon's delight) she hangs well with the beanie

love it!NC State Fair
Hand dipped corn dogs
and the most delicious corn on the cob
love, love, love it
asha's like "seriously, you're not going to give me even
one kernal?"

she fell asleep for about an hour,
but woke up just in time to jump on
jalopy junction! her first amusement park ride

Autumn love

2011-10-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

our little giraffe ... so many cute options

love these two

NC autumn = out of this world
mid to high 70s all week
a little chilly in the mornings and the evenings
the trees are changing color and
we just bought a new air freshener for our house
called autumn spice and it's DELICIOUS

2011-10-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

kalena will teeth on chicken bones
and asha on celery sticks, haha

this may appear that she dislikes
her head massaged, but she actually loved it!

I can not get over this face.
For a little 'trick or trot' 5k at Meredith
we dressed up as a triathlete.
Jon was a biker
I was a runner,
and Scout ... the swimmer!

Only 10 days late ...

2011-10-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

It just keeps getting better.

7 Celestial Months

Love that little belly.

Showing off.

One of my favorite parts of Father of the Bride
is when George (father) walks by his children's
rooms and he hears Annie and Mattie
say I love you to each other.

He then clutches his heart and with
an overwhelmingly happy face continues down the hall.

I do that same move daily.

Like when she's bouncing in her little bouncer and she
looks up at me, so proud of her new skill or
when she smiles when I try out my
spooky laugh for halloween or
when she recognizes our favorite
dance tune.

This is better than I could have ever imagined.
So full.

Pure bliss.

2011-10-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

love his smile

i can't get enough of this little face.

like two kids on christmas morning
holding the gift they never thought they would get

after 7 months this is still one of my
favorite sights.
i love this little face.

grandma faye and her woodsprite grandaughter

nanny and her little bug

love these two.

asha is pretending not to care that kalena
has a sweet toy

then she decides to "hold kalena's hand"
in an attempt to snatch it from her
kalena is worried asha might eat it
after looking at the size of her cheeks

having heard rumors of asha's determination when it comes
to relinquishing toys ... she decided not to try to get it back!
best friends in the making
two elated mamas
who didn't get out of their pajamas
the entire time they were together!

Miss you ...

2011-10-13T12:31:00.001-07:00

weekend before we flew to Utah
Smoky Mtns.
chimney rock national park
(where last of the mohicans was filmed)

asha's head is really only in the 80th percentile
not the 800th as it appears in this shot!

most beautiful eyes ever

oh, spud, i'm a chain!
jackie worthin would be proud

what form...

what concentration

what style

what taste

what a joy!

¡¡¡Alguien tiene 6 MESES!!!

2011-09-17T21:45:00.001-07:00

October 15th marked her
6 month birthday

Oh, what a miraculous 6 months it has been.

Now that she's rolling all over the place
she's is enjoying the beautiful quilt Auntie Alli made her.

Just love this shot...
more to come!

2011-09-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

with a fresh buzz (for Jon of course, haha)
they look more alike than ever
look at that tongue!

we didn't even lose our electricity
during hurricane irene,
but ... the next morning we went out on a walk
and this is what we saw - like two blocks away from us
3 giant oaks down

one of my new favorites

this picture is awesome for a couple of reasons:
1. the purple headband, a gift from her 'argentine grandma'
2. when she 'sucks' her thumb, she really just gives herself a fishhook

at a durham bulls game

she was a champ
the game started after she usually goes to bed

her eyes + my shirt = perfect combo

Doppelgänger

2011-09-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

me. when my hair is wet

me. when my hair is dry

me. if i gain a few pounds, grow 2 1/2 feet, and grow out my sideburns.
olivia ..... i desperately need you!!!

those toes

2011-08-24T06:12:00.001-07:00

she can't get enough of them

every time i turn around she's being hypnotized by their greatness doesn't this look like she's been caught
with her hand in the cookie jar?!then it's just shameless enjoyment so delicious

jon's first day of class
in spanish, felicidades means congrats
i thought i would be really clever and wrote
felicidaddys

when we put asha in the car seat now
she holds on, to both sides, for dear life
i hope it's not a subtle hint about my driving life is good.
so, so good.

It was her birthday shout ...

2011-08-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

HOORAY!!!August 15, 2011

5 months of wonderfulness
wrapped up in a perfectly chubby little body

She has always been super content lying on the floor.
Within the last two weeks, she has realized it's way more fun

in my arms. I love this little look and outstretched arms.But it quickly changed to this face, which says,
'seriously mom, I'm done, pick me up'then she remembers her toes
her most recent discovery!

I can't believe how much she has grown.
She is an absolute delight and gets better every day!

a witty response

2011-08-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

while chris and cherie were here
we had our epic soccer 'match' in our living room
after scoring a golazo, i ran down the hall yelling
gooooooooooooooooooool
then slid on the carpet - it killed.

a few days later i was at the church when
a good friend, danuta from poland, saw my knees and said
'what, are we five?'

we laughed so hard.
it's been a long time since i've skinned me ol knees

i love wit

enjoy

2011-08-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

2011-08-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

My new favorite family shot

i just love her steel blues and stoic look

she will chomp on anything that goes near her 'mouth eater'

jon's new running buddy

she can not wait to find out what happens next...

busy little spider?
this kid's bored out of her mind, she's ready for
thoreau, whitman, the biggies

or at least dress up like saint teresa

heidi, one of ash's incredibly talented friends,
spent a few days with us. she is about to
begin graduate school at duke.
she plays the harp and sings like an angel.
asha will never be satisfied with my lullabies again.
and last, but not least,
the godparents: chris and cherie
at the end of their 3500 mile road trip
so, so good to see them
because she is so full of tricks
we have been taking more action packed videos than
pics ... she is a rolling, bubble blowing,
growling, singing, slobbering phenom

she has enriched every part of our lives
so, so grateful

the happiest of birthdays

2011-07-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

becoming a mom = best gift ever

i had a fabulous day with my two favorite people

i mean, look at this face,
does it get any cuter?
(it's the bubble blowing face)

sushi lunch has become a birthday tradition
it was delicious

32 years old
this is going to be an amazing year

2011-07-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

asha, sporting her
pink tutu from auntie heidi,
trying out the bumbo

if asha ever has a need of a
native american name
it could be "lamb covers her head"

the cutest little face

i think i may have already posted
this one ... i must really love it!

don't you just want to squeeze those
arms and legs??

this is how we hang on sunday morningsjust kickin back with her legs crossed asha's exciting and new talent is blowing bubbles.
we have lots of pictures of her performing
this marvelous act, but they all look like she's about to ralph.

we thought this picture was hilarious
her left arm looks so posed!
can't you just hear deb saying
"alright...now gently rest your left hand on your knee
and your right hand on your belly...ok, perfect"

drumroll please ....

2011-07-28T07:11:00.001-07:00

this little beauty
weighs: 14.05 lbs
is 24 1/2 in. long
and heroically received her
immunizations without shedding a tear

hooray!

she still prefers the jig
to all the other dance moves she knows

but, most of all, she likes to show
off her perfect little thighs and her
rolling skills

she has fallen in love with this little
lamby (always in the crook of her arm:)
we think it was the secret to her
immunization success!

and we continue to fall
more and more in love with her!

four glorious months

2011-07-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

lookin good in maddie's swimming suit!

the twins

she recently realized that she likes to sit
up on her own
don't you just want to kiss those lips?!

after a good nap, she is all smiles
it's the greatest sight in the world

while i work a four hour shift on friday nights
jon takes asha on little dates
last friday they took a walk to the museum and had a photo shoot
the pictures turned out beautifully

she sure loves her dad

i am in love with her little furrowed brow

4 months already?
she has her checkup tomorrow
can't wait to see how much this little hooligan has grown

Here's to ...

2011-07-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

the boy wonder

the kidthe miracle man
the keeper's nightmarethe phenomenonthe unstoppable

the #3

the king.

Here's to ...

jjjjjooooooonnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaatttthhhhhhaaaaannnnn

wwwwiiiiiiiillllllllllliiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaammmmmmm

wwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Ladies and gentlemen,

one amazing father.

Happy belated father's day, love.
Sos lo mejor.
Més que un papi.

*inspired by: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J48gR0DS4s

¡veni, veni, canta conmigo!

2011-07-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

copa america
argentina advances
asha's sweet jersey from the dibb's
one sweet night

asha finally met her
argentine 'abuelos' here in north carolina
the quintero family

sister quintero had to explain to her that
she was just a little too young for mate

we ate choripan, drank mate,
and enjoyed some argentine fútbol
with great friends

2011-07-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

some of my favorites ...

featuring our makeshift mobile
(it's tied to our ceiling fan!)

but this is really what she's been up to ...

so close!

we've added someone to our roster ...

2011-07-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

making sure her boots are laced properly

ASHINHA!!!
isn't she a natural?

her ball handling skills are fantastic
she never let's the ball get too far in front of her

she's a perfect fit

flight TO utah

2011-07-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

we thought the flight might get a little
hairy when we saw these lips pucker up like this

but, after a little bouncing and the
magic touch by mom's long, or let's just say, prominent nose
this little angel was down for the counts

is there anything more miraculous
than a sleeping baby on an airplane?

i even got a little nap ... amazing

love this kid.

my amazing family

2011-07-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

enjoying Mandarin after a night in the Temple

my 'venezuelan' family
after a delicious venezuelan feast

love this shot.
love my fam.

baby scout sure loves her nanny
aka K especial

olé, olé, olé, olé, eliiiiiii eliiiiiii

2011-07-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

asha met her beautiful
argentine auntie eli
she marveled at the wonderfulness
which is the cordobes accent

and what is the most natural thing to do
when an argentine is in town??

FUTBÓL!!

asha agrees with eli ~ matches in argentina are
much more exciting ~ she would have
stayed awake had we brought our drum

thanks to our great friends dave and mindy richter
for hooking us up with tickets
love them

true love

2011-07-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

love this sweet picture with grandma jane

and this one with ash

we think asha got sophie's coloring ~
how'd that happen?

this is one of those
"who made the baby look like she's 15 years old"
pictures
who knows?

a little belly rub from the parkers

2011-07-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

brenn's showing us the art of the belly rub

r j gives it a try

cousin love

2011-07-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

there is something wonderful about babies loving babies
and especially cousins loving cousins
whenever asha is around, maddie has this very look on her face
the same look charlie had on his face when
he found the golden ticket.
along with this adorable face, she says:
"baby ashy ... she's so cute"
in a darling high pitched voice.

here, paigey is giving her a little cousin blessing

now it's ethan's turn
(he still can't figure out where all her dark hair went!)

shan's kids would ask,
'is asha sleeping again?'
'can't we go check to see if she's really sleeping?'

love this shot.
she has entered a world of complete and utter adoration

we've only been home a week
and we're already itchin to get back

the flight home

2011-07-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

she yawned

she smiled

she cooed

but she didn't sleep
she did however practice her high pitched squeal
which was definitely a crowd pleaser

although blurry
the resemblance is obvious, no?

the girl who helped us at subway, talking to another worker,
said, "she looks just like him."

i loved it.
jon had a smile the size of the mississippi the rest of the day

look who this little one discovered

2011-07-03T16:09:00.001-07:00

yep, she really is this beautiful

Poem

2011-06-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

Manzana Sagrada

A tree and the apple
A sacred gift
Falls softly into
Four hands
Praying, pleading, thanking.
A thousand rejoicing lips
Two thousand bent knees
One flight
One night of strength and weakness
And one new soul
With cheeks as pink as God's fruit
One moment to bathe
Eyes closed, in the warmth of heaven
Shining through the open window
Of her eyes.

Written by my amazingly talented MTC companion, Amy Damron Kyle.

aloha

2011-06-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

Anna's sister Neha (who lives in Hawaii) sent Asha and Kalena a couple

of 'aloha dresses.' Her only request: we take a picture of the two girls
wearing them so she could photoshop them into the same picture.

I hope she has them lying together on the beach of the big island!

Happy Memorial Day

2011-06-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

We got together with some great friends in the ward.
(sorry they are not featured, this camera just knows one face nowadays)

We had delicious shish kabobs

This little party animal was showing everyone
how tall she is.

She really loves a good holiday bbq!

A sweet visit and the Champions League Final

2011-06-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

Mike and Chelsea Strayer:
amazing couple Jon and I met while living in Provo.

Visiting from Charm City, aka Baltimore.

Turns out Chelsea was Ashley's roommate in college. Seriously.
She almost passed out when she learned our connection!

Another sweet connection:
Chelsea knows Cherie Farnes through their
experiences in Ghana!
We had to skype.

Asha is officially Barcelona's lucky charm.
She watches a game wearing her Messi onsie - they win.
It's that simple.

I wonder how many pictures we're going to have
like this one by the time she is 2?

Happy futboling y'all.

2 months

2011-06-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to get this done on her month mark.

This should have been posted May 15th ... oh well, better late than never!

Does it look like she's about to start an Irish jig?She had her 2 (ish) month checkup.
11 lbs
23 inches
Jon and I were the ridiculous doting parents.
Every time the pediatrician noted anything
we would follow it up with
"Isn't she wonderful?!"

boo

Guess which auntie sent her this?

I know that every parent thinks their child
is the cutest thing
that has ever graced Mother Earth ... and now I know why!

We just adore this kid.

2011-05-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

We had a stinking suspicious that Asha was going

to love swimming. She loves all things aquatic!She was a little sleepy to start with,
but seemed to love it!

We went to Liam's pool.
He showed us the ropes.

By the time we were ready to go
she was down for the count.

2011-05-31T19:43:00.000-07:00

Asha took her first baby bjorn trip with dad.

A little jaunt to the dry cleaners and Food Lion.

I loved the sight.

Love this man.
Love this little lady.

pics.pics.pics

2011-05-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

absolute bliss

asha didn't get the memo:
to pretend she was asleep (my favorite game)

one of my favorite pictures ever
this little angel is all smiles lately

on a little walk

with our dear friends, the arlanders,
around lake lynn
this beautiful setting is only minutes from our home

our favorite little adventurer

el guapo would say that asha has a plethora of hats

this one is from aunt jackie

this one is from trixee buckingham

this one is from holly, one of ashley's friends

and this one is from nicki (jackie's daughter)

so, so darling

Road Trippin'

2011-05-22T20:05:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, May 7, Emily, Asha, Ashley, and I embarked on what would be Scout's first road trip. We had a fabulous time! We were able to introduce Asha to the many friends in Nashville that had hoped, wished, and prayed her to our family. It was a beautiful time with our Tennessee family. We met up with old friends and made new ones. After a week in Nashville, we spent the last few days of the trip in Washington DC. Below are some of our favorite pics.

Asha "was born a ramblin' [wo]man." She cried a little at the end of our drive to Nashville, but only about 20 minutes of our 13-hour drive to DC. Qué campeona!

About halfway between Raleigh and Nashville is the lovely town of Asheville (an artist's mecca). There are many great reasons to stop in Asheville. The Chocolate Lounge is one of them. Two words: liquid truffle. Enough said.

Happy Mother's Day! Asha decided to test her mom by drenching her with formula around 3am, but Em wasn't even fazed. That smile has been years in the making. A little barf or poop (which came later in the trip) wasn't about to take away from her joy!

As you can see, Mother's Day was a drag (wink wink). We got to church a little late and decided to linger in the foyer until after sacrament. Em gave me the honor of walking into the chapel carrying Asha. What a thrill! I half thought the congregation was going to break into cheers. Lots of smiles and excitement, but no standing ovation. Only in Latin America, I guess.

Somebody turned 33 while we were in Nashville. We celebrated the day with a delicious homemade breakfast (thanks Alisha), sushi, a Barcelona game, paletas, flamenco, mate, and a small gathering at the Haglunds. The smile above doubled in size after I tasted the strawberry/sorrel pie that Ashley and Katie had made. Yum yum yum!

I couldn't resist including this gorgeous shot of my two babes. We stayed a few days with the Reynolds, which included many scrumptious meals and lots of fun.

Our last night in Nashville was the best. MauraLee organized a wonderful birth celebration (thank you thank you thank you) with all of our closest friends. We were a little worried about Asha because she hadn't slept much that day, but she was a champ (like always). She took it all in, moving from one set of arms to the next as content as can be. When the party ended another began: indoor soccer with Greg, Josh, Jeff, the Davies, and co. A perfect adios to Nashville!

Two days later we were in DC enjoying a lovely Sunday afternoon at Malcom X Park. The nearby drum circle kept us moving and grooving for a couple of hours.

We spent Monday afternoon picnicking, throwing the frisbee, and walking around at the National Arboretum. What a beautiful place! In case you're wondering (or worrying, like me), the thinning hair on top of my head is only an optical illusion.

We spent most of our DC time with Heather and Adam, Ashley's older sister and bro-in-law. We loved getting to know them and look forward to sharing more time in the future. Asha was sad to not feature in this shot, but someone had to take the pic.

One of our favorite pics from our day at the Arboretum. Look at the adorable expression on Asha's face, not to mention her perfect little hands.

Inspired by the breakdancing documentary we had watched the night before (Planet B-boy), we all took a shot at breakin' the next day. For some it was a birth, for others a rebirth.
*please note that the move featured above is not breakdancing

After close to 1500 miles, here we are at our final rest stop (about an hour from home). With a full belly and a clean diaper, Asha was ready to go. After all, she's a mover and shaker. The first of many family trips to come.

the lucky charm

2011-05-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

barcelona and real madrid (the top two club teams in spain)
played a grueling match the other day
jon held asha most of the game + barca won = jon will be holding
asha every time barça's in action

as for jerseys, we totally gave her an option:

ronaldo
or
messi

and with her (wise) decision,

she made her papi very happy

auntie shannon sent her these darling
vans, we loved that they were the only
things peeking out of her shroud

happy mama
always pinching something
toes, earlobes, anything!

2011-05-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

it all started like this ...

(i know, i know, no onesie next time:)

then we thought it would be fun to raid dad's nap

with her little finger like that, she's like
"excuse me, does anyone want to play?"

then we figured ~ everything
is much more fun without clothes
i love her little face ... hello up there!

asha was all smiles for grandma faye
it was so sweet to see them together

this little one loves light.
she will fix her eyes on anything bright
we just love her so much

¡felices pascuas!

2011-05-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

asha bug's first easter!
she felt like the queen of sheba
in the sweet little dress gifted to her by
a professor jon knew at vanderbilt

she can't wait to learn the phrase:
Ісус воскрес
to learn all about it go here:
alisha's awesome blog post

i love everything about this kid

the weather in raleigh has been incredible
the sun ... maybe a tad too bright for the little tike
we were so lucky to have jon's mom

here with us!

i really don't know anything about
scarlet o'hara
but i feel like she would have held her
hands like asha if she too
had been exposed to this much sun

jon and i are fools for 'firsts'
this shot is the first time she
put her hand up on his shoulder like that:)
jon's face says it all.

pura felicidad

the nursery suite

2011-05-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

jon and i don't really own fancy things (whitey).

our fanciest possession is the leather soccer ball josh and rasputin gifted us a few years ago.

however, when you have waited many moons for a little bambina, and you have a million ultra talented friends and family members, you get hooked up with a really beautiful nursery!

it is for sure our favorite room in the house ... the only thing we're waiting on is a book shelf and the sketch spencer did of scout.

*don't worry the soccer rug hasn't been banished ... it's over by the other window!

love this little face, her gown, and her big stretch!

sweet grandma faye
changing 'table'
rags (stuffed animal grandma parkin sent me on my mission)
the darling pictures of her on the wall

ok, so the blue doesn't match
but it was a steal on craigslist
and super comfy

we especially love this room
because it is the manifestation of love
that reminds us of all the kindred spirits we
are lucky enough to call friends
asha thinks it is bomb

I'm still getting the hang of this ...

2011-05-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

look back a couple of posts to the picture of Asha lying next to Jon's Barcelona scarf,

now imagine that I had posted something on April 15th like

Asha is 1 month old!!

At her 4 week checkup she:
* weighed 8 lbs 6 oz
* measured 20 1/2 inches

This means that she gained one gigantic pound since birth and grew
1 1/2 inches!

She is an amazing little sleeper/eater/possessor of all that it beautiful.

Today we fast, full of gratitude and amazement, at the miraculous blessing with which Heavenly Father has entrusted us ... our little Asha Scout.

Remembering Briana

2011-04-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Six weeks ago today we made a new friend, an eternal friend. Her name is Briana. We met her about eight hours after she helped bring our little Asha so lovingly into this world. Although only a few years into her practice, Briana was a gifted midwife. She possessed such love, strength, wisdom, and sensitivity. She was to be one of the brilliant women we hoped to surround Asha with as she grew into womanhood. But things do not always happen as we expect them to: Briana tragically died in a car accident this past Saturday. We heard the news Easter morning. Our hope in the resurrection was of great comfort, but we grieve in knowing that we will no longer have the privilege of walking this mortal path with her. She lives on in those of us who knew her, and, in a special way, in those to whom she gave safe passage into this world. Twenty-eight years seem so few for one such as her, but we are grateful nonetheless for the time we shared.

For an absolutely beautiful tribute to Briana, read this poem by her dear friend Missy.

Here's the four of us at Fern Midwifery for Asha's one-week checkup.

Beautiful Briana weighing Asha at her two-week checkup

completely and utterly in love

2011-04-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

asha looks adorable
i look like peter pan, when he was 14 yrs old:)

who knows? maybe she'll follow the path
of the redds and find those two little fingers!

i've seen really cute ways to document growth
and age ~ this is not one of them, but i tried!
each month i will lay her next to jon's barca scarf
so you can see how long she is and how edible her little legs are!
(she should still be wearing newborn
diapers, but i was too lazy/cheap to go buy more,
so we opened the size 1 pack we had...it's a little big)

this has to be one of my favorite things ever:
when i scoop the water up toward her neck, she
opens her mouth and tries to catch it!
she loves, loves, loves bath time. she recently
graduated to bathing in the regular bath tub.

jon has been amazing.
he is in love with our little calabaza (pumpkin)
asha loves bossa nova (super rich, jazzy brazilian music) and
jon is convinced she's going to make him a bomb bossa nova singer!

she 'turned' 5 weeks on tuesday
she has brought us joy unspeakable
we adore this little scout.

she is the answer to the question in moroni 7
miracles have not ceased!

Our family of three in NC!

2011-04-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

Here's the nursery! In case you're wondering, that is the painting from Em's Facebook profile pic. The artist agreed to repaint it when I shared our story. It was a surprise motherhood gift (thank you, Howingtons, for hanging it). Actually there's a whole lot be to thankful for in this pic: a newly-restored dresser compliments of Emily Richards (and Em); a gorgeous crib gifted to us by a group of friends and the ring-leader herself, Janet Weed; and some beautiful bumper pads and a skirt from Alisha and MauraLee. Not to be forgotten in all this is the soccer-ball rug, one of the many takeaways from an amazing year teaching 1st grade at Glendale. So much to be thankful for!

Some of my colleagues and a couple of students decorated my office. The door was also covered in pink with a banner that reads "It's a girl." I've been feeling a lot of love from everyone on campus. I'm going to leave everything as long as I can. The celebration goes on. . .

Our first walk in our "Bob" stroller. Between our Graco car seat style (called "Lowery") and our stroller, both our dads are getting some representation. Gotta love it!

We figured the Sunday stroll would put little Asha fast asleep, when we peered down, however, she was as bright-eyed as ever. Love that girl!

Her first flower: un clavel rojo (a red carnation).

Homeword Bound

2011-04-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the airport with our perfect little Asha and our newest best friend, Ashley (hermanadre extraordinaria). The smiles tell something of the miraculous three weeks we shared; a time never to be forgotten, a story worthy of a thousand and one tellings.

An epic flight to Utah, a glorious return to North Carolina. She who eats and sleeps like a champ, also flies likes one. It was a smooth trip home for the three of us.

We left with a couple of bags. We returned with, well, a little bit more. Thanks to everyone for the many gifts, especially the outpouring of love, goodwill, and support.

this is how i feel

2011-02-15T22:43:00.001-08:00

Love this quote

2011-01-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

"Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive ... God does not look on sin with [the least degree of] allowance, but ... the nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs."
-Joseph Smith

Elder Holland, responded to this quote by saying,
"I bear witness of a God who has such shoulders."

That's what I've been thinking about lately.

I need a haircut...

2010-12-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

because, as much as i love frodo, i don't look good with his do

Some pics of the wedding

2010-12-08T19:28:00.001-08:00

Olivia & Spencer's Wedding

...what was a wonderful night...

with some sweet hair dos

some masterful impromptu bouquet making

jonny and paigey

and a beautiful bride, groom, and someone who can stare into your soul

God bless this love.

letter to lucy

2010-11-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

i wrote lu this morning and thought i would share it with you. la vida es bella.

Why, hello little Lucy!!

I am really sorry I didn't get an email off to you last week. I had an incredible week of inspiration, hope, and love and wanted to share it with you. After I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how hard it is to have faith, trust, and believe when it seems hard to believe ~ I wanted you to know that I wasn't still wallowin' in self pity:) Heavenly Father heard my plea, and is it seems that He just opened the windows of revelation and poured out the Spirit!

For my 30th birthday, Bro. Halverson gave me two cd's with like 100 talks from Elder Maxwell. They have been so amazing. Whenever I start to feel doubt creep into my heart, I just listen to one of his talks, and I am immediately filled with faith and courage. He always talks about enduring well, the reason for and importance of trials, and the life of a disciple. I tell you, it's unbelievable how relevant the talk is that I chose that day.

This morning, I was reading in Mosiah and read something that describes the last couple of weeks for me:

"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will i do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. (kindof like the pioneers whose testimonies were immovable after they 'came to know God in their extremities.')
And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

and....I'm hoping for this part to happen:)

And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." Mosiah 24:14-16

and Joshua 3:5 "Sanctify yourselves; for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

I've realized over the last week, that this time of trial for Jon and I is a merciful blessing from heaven. We are given the opportunity to come to know God in a way we have never even imagined. We are learning how to trust each other and Him with all of our hearts and to exercise more faith and more patience. Elder Maxwell said this classic line, "even though we know how much we learn through trials, none of us stand in line to go through the next fiery furnace!" It's so true, we try to resist that which will save us!!!! Curse you natural man, haha.

Lu, I know this month is going to be a tough one. I know how much you would love to be involved in all the weddin' stuff, but I feel like this month might be like Joseph's time in Liberty Jail which he described as a 'prison-temple.' You will most likely have moments of sadness (wondering who the heck's idea it was for you to go on a mission anyway!!) and moments of complete joy (knowing you are out on the Lord's errand taking the message of redemption to a dying world.)

Please know that you are on everyone's thoughts and in everyone's prayers, always. We so love you.

I couldn't be prouder of a little sister. I love you. I pray for you every single day.

God speed sister, God speed.
Mimi Rat

so very excited

2010-10-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

mas fotos

2010-10-21T21:53:00.000-07:00

ze temple

darling shot on the way out to
fort sumpter

wouldn't this be a sweet ad for TOMS?

maddie's first exposure to southern cuisine
fried hush puppies

love this picture.
love this little sister.

north carolina dreamin'

2010-10-21T21:17:00.001-07:00

here in 'the triangle' you're expected to declare
your allegiance to either duke or chapel hill...
looks like maddie is a tar hill!

three beautiful babes at the duke cathedral
maddie has other ideas with this stroller

she's outta here
absolutely love this kid & her sweet outfits

another shot of the temple in raleigh

haha just kidding
outside shot of the duke cathedral

paigey's twin?

2010-10-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

our friends, the halversons, in nashville have a little girl

who I think looks just like paigey..

I sure love this mate drinkin blondie

Happiness is...

2010-10-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

a smoothie mustache

a beautiful view of Charleston Harbor

a little one-year-old reaching up for a finger

counting little piggies

a sweet visit from mom, alli, and mad madigan.

we love you and already miss you like crazy.

first, the bellistons . . .

2010-10-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

now the hardys.

jealous.

i love that little lulu.

Debbie Russell

2010-09-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I woke up in the middle of the night
thinking about Debbie. I got out of bed and said a prayer
for her and her family.

This morning Darice called to tell me that she
had passed away.
Life is so precious.

This is a picture of her husband, Sherman.
I always tell him he looks like my grandpa
and ask him if I can squeeze his earlobes.
Please keep him in your prayers.

Jon and I taught a Sunday School lesson last week
on forgiveness. Today as I think about
mortality and the short, precious time we
have together here on earth, I am reminded
how important it is to forgive freely and often,
in order for love to fill our hearts instead of
hurt, anger, and sadness.
(Bishop McMullin has an incredible story of forgiveness on
page 13 of the Conference Ensign)
I love you all.

The Epic Ragnar

2010-09-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon
Team of 12
Ready to run 201 miles
From Cumberland, Maryland to Washington DC

97 degrees
humid
really humid

ready to start our 'second leg'
about 1 am
who signs up for this?

¡las chicas!
the girl holding the babe is pres cleverly's daughter-in-law
small world

we did it!
33 hours
and lots of sore muscles
wish josh were here to rub my legs!

What dreams may come~

2010-09-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

At 5:00 this morning, I woke up to this . . . . . .

GRANDSLAM

YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

(Pah, pah, pah, pah, pah)

Totally out of it, I said, "Jon are you awake?"
The little slugger answered, "Uh, yeah." (kindof like 'hello, do you think I could hit a grandslam in my sleep??)

I couldn't fall back to sleep, so at 5:20, I said, "Hey, your grandslam woke me up, and now I can't go back to sleep." Jon said, "Em, what the heck are you talking about??"

I love this kid, because of all the things he could be dreaming about...he's still dreaming about hitting the grandslam to close out the epic baseball game.

Sisters are...

2010-09-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

a girl's best friend.

Thank you sissys,

for being my dearest friends
and some of the greatest source of strength.

I look up to you all and thank Heavenly Father

daily for the greatest sisters a girl could ask for.
I love you.

From Dead Horse Point to Nash-villa Theater

2010-08-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

Cute pics of me and mom in so ut

after seeing our profile picture on lds.org, my friend
suggested we take a better picture.
this is one she took . . . not bad, but i can't part with the sunset!

and, the two things I am in love with . . .

the bathroom & the kitchen in our nashville condo.

lucky little devils who get to rent it first!

An ode . .

2010-07-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

to this beautiful life we are living.

I wish I were a poet, to give the feelings in my heart words, to help portray how I feel. We recently sent out an email 'announcing' that we hope to adopt. Becki Porter, one of my dearest friends, responded with a simple,
"Praise God!"

That's how I feel today.

These last few months have been miraculous (extremely hard, but miraculous). Without being able to identify a moment went things changed, something has changed. I've realized recently that I don't just believe that everything will work out . . . I know that everything will work out.
I am confident that God loves me, that He is aware of what we're going through, and that He's actually demonstrating His mercy by allowing us to pass through these trials.

In preparation for a Pioneer Day primary activity at the church, I read, and reread some of my favorite pioneer stories. The overwhelming feeling came to me that through their adversity, through their trial they really did come to know their Savior. Their testimony was the greatest 'treasure' they owned and they were willing to make tremendous sacrifices for it.

I want to be a pioneer woman.

I don't want to complain about life not going exactly how I imagined it to go. I want to be able to recognize the difficulty, then keep working and exercising faith. I want to be like Eliza and Emma and do hard thing after hard thing with complete confidence that I have made covenants with my Father in Heaven and that He will keep His promises.

On my birthday, I finished the entire Standard Works. It was an amazing experience. I want to be like Sarah, Rachel, Hannah and Elisabeth and truly trust God. Their stories are so beautiful because they are so very real. It was not easy for them, but they believed.

Oh, how they believed.

When we were in Utah, some of my family went to the Bountiful Temple.
When it was Jon's and my turn, the sealer asked us if we had any children. We
told him not yet, and he told us to start concentrating:)
Near the end of the session, when it was our turn again, he looked at
us and said, "Even if you don't have children in this life, you are promised
them in the next. And if you choose to adopt, you will love those children as
if they were your own."

Wow.

Just last weekend we went to the Raleigh Temple with some friends. We missed the session
(what, I was running late:) so we did sealings.
When it was our turn, the sealer asked us how long we had been married.
We told him 7.5 years.
Without asking any further questions he continued.
Before we finished he looked at us and shared a sweet insight to the sealing ordinance
then bore his testimony of the blessing of children, and 'hoped'
it for us.

Heavenly Father is so very aware of us, and where we are.

Jon's mission president responded to our email about adoption with this sweet message:
"We pray for you that a child will come into your family, whom you can
nuture, teach, and present before our Father in Heaven."

What a sacred responsibility. One I hope for with all my heart.

Bluff, UT
(a little pioneer representation)

Much to be grateful for...

2010-06-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

wonderful friends

jonny boy's graduation

jon's 32nd birthday

kindred spirits

being eli's "brother and sister"

A few pictures of our community

2010-05-05T04:46:00.000-07:00

Our street, Coley Davis, begins at the lake on the previous post.
Our condo is near the end of the road, about 20 feet past
this car is the 'entrance' to our community.

Unfortunately, these pictures don't completely show our condo
(they were taken by one of our neighbors and
the focus was their home). Our condo is behind
the group of trees to the right,
but are the same level as the condos in the center.
Yikes.

Our place is to the right.

The water finally started to recede,
check out the white van, before and after.

We're heading to Nashville on Thursday.

check it out

2010-05-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/36927001#36927001

life aquatic of jon and em ('s condo)

2010-05-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this??
This is the road we take to get to our condo.

The on ramp at the end of Coley Davis.

The soccer fields (gasp) at the end of our road.

This is the road that leads to our condo.

These pictures are surreal.
The only way to get pictures of our place would be from friends
who are stuck on the "island" between this lake
and the lake our condo is swimming around in.
None of our friends have electricity so they can't
email the pictures . . . I can't even believe it.

left me speechless

2010-04-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

“We want to be ladies in very deed, not according to the term of the word as the world judges, but fit companions of the Gods and Holy Ones. In an organized capacity we can assist each other in not only doing good but in refining ourselves, and whether few or many come forward and help to prosecute this great work, they will be those that will fill honorable positions in the Kingdom of God. . . . Women should be women and not babies that need petting and correction all the time. I know we like to be appreciated but if we do not get all the appreciation which we think is our due, what matters? We know the Lord has laid high responsibility upon us, and there is not a wish or desire that the Lord has implanted in our hearts in righteousness but will be realized, and the greatest good we can do to ourselves and each other is to refine and cultivate ourselves in everything that is good and ennobling to qualify us for those responsibilities.”

Eliza R. Snow

Los Gauchos

2010-04-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

In November of last year we were asked to participate
in the 'noche internacional' hosted by the
Spanish speaking branch.
We danced 'La Chacarera,' a traditional Argentine dance.
Everyone thought Jon looked like a
quintessential Argentine cowboy!
For a small fee we will teach you our mad skills.

one sweet tradition

2010-04-09T13:39:00.001-07:00

My friend Alisha (Nashville) served her mission in the Ukraine, she recently shared this on her blog:

Ісус воскрес!

In Ukraine there is a lovely tradition that on Easter, instead of greeting people with, "hello", you exclaim, "Jesus Resurrected!" And the people answer back, "He Truly Resurrected!" It was hands down my favorite day in Ukraine. It's bigger than Christmas. People celebrate for days.

I love that.

whitey's new plate

2010-04-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

I don't know how they do it in Juarez, but
here in the south, they only require the rear license plate.
We got this one . . . looks nice, huh?
She still rocks the Utah plate on the front,
who knows if that's legal, but we couldn't part!

Spring has sprung! Every morning we wake up to a
dusting of yellow-green fluff everywhere . . .
pollen.
Josh's eyes would be the size of watermelons
if he lived here!

Our annual snowboarding trip.
Jon sported Spence's skinny powder pants:)
he looked good, real good.
I'm not sure why I always feel like I need to bend over
in pictures. The two 6 footers are standing straight
and tall, I think I would have gotten in the picture!!

oh, what a temple trip

2010-04-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

I don't think it get's much better than this.
I love to go to the Temple, but I really
really love to go with my family.

And now, one of my favorite quotes:

Hearts must be pure to come within these walls,
Where spreads a feast unknown to festive halls.
Freely partake, for freely God hath given,
And taste the holy joys that tell of heaven.
Here learn of Him who triumphed o'er the grave.
And unto men the keys, the kingdom gave;
Joined here by powers that past and present bind
The living and the dead perfection find.
Orson F. Whitney

It's official!

2010-03-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

We finally got Jon's diploma framed . . . looks great!

love that man.

Nothing short of a miracle . . .

2010-03-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I received this on facebook from a friend in Nashville:

I have just now noticed that your maiden name is Redd, is it possible that you are related to a Jack Redd?

I wrote back that he was my grandpa, and asked how she knew him.

She responded with this:

Emily, I'm so sorry, I was looking for information just now on Google - so that Rob could learn more about him and saw that he passed away today. It just happened that I noticed someone in "Friend Suggestion" with the last name Redd. I immediately thought of him and hoped that whoever this person was knew him. I then saw that you were a mutual friend and thought I would ask. I had no idea what had happened. I'm so sorry for your loss. It seems so strange that tonight would be the very night I was thinking of him.

I'm a convert, as I think you know, and my dad was the president of Midwestern Oil in the 80's. Somehow, your grandpa was involved with this company. He became good friends with my dad and as did Erma with my mother. He gave my family a Book of Mormon. My parents just put it underneath some other books at the bottom of a bookcase, which I found years and years later. They always respected their examples and I believe this is the reason they eventually excepted my choice to join the church. When Rob and I got married, my parents only came because of the Redds. On my side of the room at the temple, the only people there were several members of the Redd family. Maybe your mom and dad were there . . . What an amazing family you have. What a wonderful grandpa. I'm forever grateful for the example he was to my family.

I just phoned my parents to let them know . . . my mom said, among other memories, that while my dad was in prison he sent my mom a check so that my mom could buy us Christmas presents.

Mormon 9:16-19

'er

2010-02-27T15:01:00.000-08:00

We've lived in 'the South' for a few years now.
Nashville, some would argue is not really 'the South'
but more 'the gateway to the South.'
North Carolina is pretty much the same,
not a whole lot a y'alls or Dixie flags flyin'
but this weekend I heard two words that
don't normally end in 'er..... end in 'er

word #1: tomater
(woman at Subway asking for tomaters on her sandwich)

word #2: saliver
(man at the temple asking me if I wanted half of his
Hersheys bar, after he opened with his teeth he gave the side that he
said didn't have his 'saliver' on it!!)

Women

2010-02-16T12:53:00.000-08:00

Women are angels,

And when someone breaks our wings . . .

We simply continue to fly . . .

On a broomstick.

We are flexible like that.

Jon's sister Lori sent me this, I love it!

washington dc

2010-02-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

"I Have a Dream"Our planning turned out perfectly

as we celebrated MLK day at the Lincoln Memorial.
[It looks like this is a theme with our yittle sissy's visits
with Lu we went to Memphis and saw the
hotel room where MLK was shot
with Lib we went to Montgomery, AL,
the heart of the Civil Rights Movement
and now, to where he delivered the
'I Have a Dream' speech with Ted.]
Pretty sweet.

I love this shot!

Ted's first trip in the metro...she was really scared!

Keeping warm at one of the many FREE
museums...Ted was scared again:)

delightful randomness

2010-02-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

They told us there would be snow,
but I thought, yea yea...probably like Nashville,
a couple of flakes and listo.

But it really snowed~
legitimate, icy, cold snow!

But, very much like Nashville...
they closed the city down

I don't think you want the word 'pit' on a wedding invitation, George.

Lord of the Rings, anyone?
(not just the Fellowship
no, no, no
nor just Two Towers
oh, no way
nor only the Return of the King)
ALL 9 GLORIOUS HOURS!

This is what we do here in North Carolina to entertain ourselves.
desperate for a laugh? never.

Javon.
He got baptized a couple of weeks ago.
He is full of faith. I love converts.