One

One year ago today at 5:10 a.m.

we received the most gracious gift. Father, thank you for the gift of our sweet son.

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

A year in pictures....

The video is 22 minutes long. Heidi thought it was to long, but I think its perfect.

(pause the music below)

We belong in the looney bin.

While Marshall took his morning nap I did a little arts and crafts project with Sam and Jack. We decided that today would be a good day to make the foam glasses that have been in the art box for a little bit. The boys thought it would be great to put their names and ages on their glasses. Jack prefers his nickname of "Jackie Boy" to any other name, so it only made sense that we put that on his glasses. Then they decided that Uncle Scott and I needed glasses too. I asked them what ours should say, the response was "Scooter U Busted" (this actually beat out "Scooter Tooter, " it was a tough decision) and "Rock on Aunt Hide." Yeah, they call me Hide because we're tight like that.

We took Uncle Scott his glasses and grabbed a quick picture. The boys knew Marshall would be getting up soon and they didn't want their baby cousin to go without a pair of these beauties. They insisted that Marshall's glasses say, "Marshie Man." And since his birthday is just one week away, they thought it would okay to put a "1" for his age. Please notice that Uncle Scooter's glasses also have his age. They thought I was 25, I didn't correct them. :)





crazy crew





LOONEY






BIN





Marshall joins in on the fun.

Just as looney as his cousins.

Evidence of a good nap.

Marshall is just like his big cousin! You know the nap was good when the hair is nappy when he gets up.

OUCH!!!

If you know Scott well, you know he does not like his ears messed with. He starts getting nervous if you even get close. That's why these pictures are so funny to me.




Okay, looks like it might be a little uncomfortable but not painful





Starting to really hurt.






PAINFUL!





I love that Marshall is totally oblivious to what he had done.

New Shoes

Finding shoes to fit Marshall's chubby little feet has been quite a challenge. I have picked up at least 12 different pairs of shoes when I have been out only to come home and they don't fit. It's not so much the length of his foot as it is the width. I was starting to feel like he would be going to kindergarten without shoes. I was getting seriously frustrated. I thought I had found a pair of winning shoes when they slipped right on his feet with ease, we tied those suckers and put him on the floor. The child refused to walk in them. It was like his legs turned to jello when shoes were on his feet. Needless to say, those shoes didn't work.

We took him to Stride Rite to be sized and found out he wears a 5 1/2 extra wide, that's right, not just wide, EXTRA WIDE! Well, when you are limited to buying extra wide styles, you can't really sale shop nor can you be too picky. We did buy him some shoes at Stride Rite for $50. SERIOUSLY... fifty dollars for children's shoes? To add salt to the wound, the sales woman told us that children his age wear their shoes for 2-3 months. Excuse me??? For fifty dollars he will at least be wearing these shoes until Christmas. (You can see the $50 shoes in the post below.)

With all of the shoe frustration we have had you can imagine how happy I was when I found shoes that fit him for $17.99. I bought them in two different colors and he seemed pretty happy with them. The quality isn't as good as his Stride Rite shoes but they also weren't $50.

Scott's dad told us when you have children you can literally hear a sucking sound. That sound is your money being sucked away. We heard the sucking sound loud and clear!








He likes them. I like the price tag MUCH better.

All Boy

After church we changed clothes and went outside to play. I am so excited about cooler weather this fall because this boy is seriously happy playing outside. He ran all over the place an didn't seem to mind getting smelly and sweaty. I, on the other hand, did mind. It was pretty muggy today so we didn't play outside for too long.

When he hears us say "outside," he is at the door ready to go. Summer's great but I am ready for fall!









(the fifty dollar shoes)