HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY JAKOB!!!!!!!!!!!

As I sit here this morning at 6:15 a.m, I'm reminded that this time last year, you were only a few hours old. Little did I know that you would bring your parent's constantly, daily to their knees in thanksgiving to God for YOU. Oh Jakob, you have been such a gift! You were WAY MORE than I ever asked for from God! You were the precious little baby we had desired for so long, and are truly a blessing from the Lord!
I have so enjoyed getting to know you over this last year, and God has provided many mommy/Jake times for us as well. Your daddy had to sacrifice some time with us to go to school and work to be able to provide for us even more. That was very hard for him to do and he missed us so much but he's making up for it now with taking care of you a lot now! But, as result you kept me GREAT company! You went EVERYWHERE with me and I liked it that way. I so enjoyed how just about every night we would cuddle on the couch awaiting daddy's arrival from school late at night or studying.
When you came along I finally felt/knew that second to being a wife, this is what God's role for me was...motherhood. And it felt so good! My calling is to be a mom!
I do really love to reflect on your itty-bittyness, but I am getting most excited thinking about the years ahead. The fun walks where you ask me the most random inquisitive, questions that only can come from a 3 year old mind, the first time you ask to dress yourself, daddy teaching you your first karate moves, dirt under your fingernails because you have been playing outside so hard, that sweaty boy smell(yes, I know that is strange), future wagon rides, big hugs and kisses that YOU initiate!
I know that God has a plan for you little Jakob, set before the beginning of time. We pray that this plan includes coming to know the Lord from a young age and committing your life to Him who made it. That you will be PASSIONATELY in love with your Savior, that you will feel God's grace and His work(death) on the cross FOR YOU little Jakob. We also pray for your future wife. Whether she is born or not yet, we still ask that your wife be one of noble character, kind, patient, tender, humble, and hopefully witty with a great sense of humor! But most of all we ask that she have a deep and abiding relationship with her God. And hopefully this special girl won't be scared off by your parents!!!!
We have so many hopes and dreams for you little man. But it is sure comforting to know that God's plan for wont be ''messed up'' by our many mistakes in parenting you. That although we will disappoint you...a lot, mess up ...a lot, God is still in control. He has a plan for you Jakob...a GOOD plan!
As I finish this letter to you my son, I don't think words can convey how grateful we are to have you. you have been such a joy to us this last year and we look forward to many more birthdays!!!!!!!!!
love,
daddy and mommy

Jake's Birthday Party

Get ready.......get set.....GO!!!!!
Still eating.......
Still eating.........took it away right about then!

On Saturday we had Jake's birthday party. He is not officially 1 till the 30th. Everything went over very well! He did exceptionally well considering he has getting over being sick.
The jumpy things were all borrowed from my sister-in-law. She was such a huge help with supplying almost all of the decor and paper products(she does a lot of parties!) I would love to take the credit for the awesome cake but........she did that too! Lalena is so generous and extremely helpful! We invited Jake's little buddies and some friends and relatives and it seemed to be just right for our little house/garage.
Jake LOVED his cake! I had to take it away from him after 15 min of continuous eating! I'm sure he was a bit woozy! Thanks again to the Pennells for staying after and offering to help clean up! That was a HUGE blessing!
Many people have asked how i am doing with Jake turning one. Honestly, with James sick, Jake sick and the party, i haven't thought much on it...yet.
I have a lot to come before the Lord with here lately. I'm overwhelmed with God's kindness to our little family, not just for my little Jake but for so much more. It has been very evident that His hand has been guiding us, protecting us and strengthening us as a family over the last year.
So I hope to take these next few days and really reflect on this last year of mommyhood and.....will get back to you all! enjoy the pics!

Updates

This is Jake when he was not feeling well
This is Jake when he IS feeling well!!!! These are his 1 yr. picture people photos
Aaarrrgg! he had a pirate themed birthday bash!


This last week was rough for my little man! He came down with his first ever fever on thursday morning...2 days before his party. The doctor said he had DOUBLE ear infection!!!!!you could have just ripped my heart out right then and there! You see, I have been a nanny for 7 years, taking care of plenty of really really bad viruses, bleeding episodes and many kids puking on me, but MAN OH MAN when it's YOUR baby.........it's really different. So enter in my opportunity to give extra cuddles and kisses!!! It didn't take long for the medicine to take effect though. He was such a trooper throughout his birthday party and other events of the weekend.
I will post birthday pics later tonight...there are so many of them and I have to go get dinner started:)

White House Tour

oh yeah, I forgot to mention we were not allowed to take pictures in the west wing and some other parts so that is why there are not very many pictures.

White House Tour

Side of the White House
Press room....much smaller than seems on t.v
Brian and maleena coming out from under the white house .

We had a really good time touring the white house last weekend. We got to tour the west wing more intensely than most because of Brian and his clearance since working there. The west wing was very modest. I guess we were expecting the president of the united states to have some grand, extravagant taste for the office wing. but it was very tasteful and unassuming. It looked like....offices. It was neat to see how they have not updated it too much over the years and have kept most of the original details. As we were waiting in the lobby to go in, it was kinda surreal to know that this is where dignitaries and presidents from around the world have sat waiting for the president. As I mentioned earlier, James had an emergency trip to the bathroom and was shocked to find out he used the president's bathroom off the oval office. Later we were all joking of all the scenarios that could have happened that would have made for a great story......ill let you figure that one out.:) Lesson #1-don't take kids on a tour to the white house. Jake did well since I pulled the old standby of a lollipop but ....not a place for the little ones. All in all, the trip was one we will always remember and we were very thankful for Brian's willingness to possibly subject himself to embarrassment among his peers by leading us on this tour!!!!!;)

White House Tour

Here we are at the entrance to the west wing.
Us in the press room where the President gives regular press conferences.

These are the network cameras for the press.

White House Tour

The rose garden.....was actually MUCH smaller than I imagined

This is where the President addresses the executive branch.

This is a meeting room for the executive offices....the likes of Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell have/had their offices in this building. Pictures do not capture the beauty of this room! It was so detailed in the architecture, from the floor to the ceiling.

Washington/Maryland Trip

That is a SCARY face in the background!!!!!!!!!!
Maleena, Tristan, and Jake enjoying their bath. Does my son look ORANGE????

Ready to ride!!!!

At the pier on the bay.




We had such a FUN time visiting James sister Monica and her husband Brian and their 3 kiddos last week. James mom and dad went with us as well. We went to Annapolis and walked through the old town/shops and saw all the boats and the navy academy there. Brian is a lieutenant in the navy and works for Vice President Dick Cheney so on Saturday we got a special tour of the white house, which was really cool. No, I didn't get to meet my long lost cousin Bush, he was away visiting family in Maine.......the NERVE!!! Didn't he know I WAS COMING!!! The closest we got to the president was James getting to use HIS PERSONEL BATHROOM off of the oval office!!!!! I will post more on that later. These are some shots from our trip hanging with the kids.

ATTN: LIFE CHANGING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so... in light of all that is bad in the world and as well in us....I thought I would give a bit of an escape by sharing the BEST makeup secret I have EVER discovered!!!!(okay so i didn't discover it, i saw it on t.v) Do you want to know just how to keep your makeup from melting off in 200 degree weather? Where it won't even look messed up at the end of the day?


MILK OF MAGNESIA!!!!!!

Yes, my girlfriends, that's what I said, the laxative stuff! You know you all have it in the house already. I experimented right before our west wing white house tour(I'll post about my trip later, this is FIRST priority) I was really hoping I would not break out in hives or something, This tip is from a big Hollywood makeup artist, and this is his secret trick he uses to keep celebs makeup to stay put. So I put it on a cotton ball and rubbed it all over my face and let it dry quickly and then applied my makeup. And let me tell you 10 hours later my makeup looked STILL good! And this is through taking a 3 hour 100 degree whether Washington tour and playing with all the kiddos. I was shocked! I have only done it once so i will see if my results are the same again. So, ladies I hope I gave you all a useful tip for these hot summer months. No comments about vanity please!:)