A couple of things

PLEASE PRAY: My niece, Taylor, is still struggling and dealing with complications from several surgeries that she had this year. She turned 12 the other day and has cerebral palsy. Her most recent surgery was to place a pump into her spinal column that releases medicine on a daily basis to relieve muscles contractions and spasms. She was in constant pain from these spasms and they were the reason that she needed some of the surgeries. So, the medicine from the pump is helping but now there is fluid around her spine and they don't know what it is. She spent her 12th birthday in the hospital and that just plain sucks!!

Pray that the doctors will figure out what the fluid is and can fix the problem. Taylor is the bravest little girl you will ever meet, and I have learned a lot from her in the few years I have known her! She will amaze you and delight you all at the same time. Here she is at our wedding all dressed up!!

The second thing I want to talk about is my little brother...he turned 26 yesterday!! Yea! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NATHAN!!!! Nate, Lilly and Lexi wanted you to know they loved you so they made you a sign. But then they tried to eat it...so, here are the pictures that we got before the sign was destroyed! I think it's the thought that counts!!

Not much going on over here. We spend a lot of time inside reading books and making "Moo" and "Baa" sounds....It's the best summer ever!! With the slightly nicer weather lately, we took a few walks too. The girls are growing so much. They seem to get taller, heavier, and smarter every single day. Lexi says a ton of words and says them very clearly. Lilly says a ton too, but mostly in fast, long sentences. She talks a LOT but it's hard to make out the stories she is telling you just yet. The latest word for both has been tree and Lilly said "again" last night when I finished reading a book she liked.

I'm working on some fun digital projects of the girls and might share some when I finish. But, for now, here are a couple of pictures of the funny little squirts. If we are friends on facebook, forgive the repeats. :)

Lexi loves me to lay her back and swish her around in the water.

Lexi and Daddy playing with their kissing frogs...

One of our walks...Lilly got excited about it and started clapping!

Lexi chilling in her wagon...

Lilly helped me take this picture of her in my lap...

Lilly and I playing chase...

Daddy and his girls...Lilly is on the left.

I Pledge Allegiance...

I actually used our front door this morning when coming into the house, I was struck, once again, by the door hanging..."I pledge allegiance to the flag!" Doesn't that say so much? :) For the rest of the day as I watched my children play in our air conditioned living room, with the oven baking our dinner, and my neighbors going about their lives, I thought about our freedom and how blessed we are...

Sam, if you read this...THANK YOU!!

TJ, if you read this...THANK YOU!!

Ben, if you ever read this...THANK YOU!!

Mr. Johnston, if you ever read this...THANK YOU!!

And to all of you other military men and women who give of your lives, time, and energy...THANK YOU!!!

I am so very grateful to live in this beautiful country and look at these little faces every morning! :)

First Step...

Lilly took her first step yesterday! Now both girls are going to be running all over the place before I know it! Way to go, Lilly bug!!

And is Lexi walking a lot now...Lexi will take no more than 1 to 2 steps at a time, look bored or frustrated and get down to crawl. She will get the hang of it eventually. :)