Summer Vacation in Harlingen

The second half of our vacation was spent in Harlingen visiting with Pops and Ninny.   The kids and I spent a week there and then drove home with a little help from Pops.  Daddy, however, had to get back to work, so he flew home after four days.  While we were down south we spent a good deal of time at the house, watching movies, swimming in the pool, spending time with Ninny, who can't easily leave the house, and doing our best not to break things!  When we could, we went our and did some fun things around the Valley. 

One day Daddy and I took the kids to South Padre Island for a little beach time.  The weather was just about perfect without too much wind and just the right amount of cloud coverage. Nico had another chance to fight the waves and build in the sand before the summer runs out on us for the year.

Another day Daddy, Pops and I took the kids to the Brownsville Children's Museum.  Like at other children's museums, Nico thoroughly enjoyed playing in the pretend grocery store. He had a great time running from one pretend area to the next for quite some time and Natalee even seemed to be entertained while we were there.
One of the best parts of the trip was watching my 97 year old grandma, Ninny, see Natalee, her first great grand-daughter for the very first time.  Ninny just adored Natalee and couldn't get over how pretty she is and how "straight her legs are" (I am not sure what that was about). I think I can pretty much say that I have had the best grandmother a person could ever ask for, and it is such a blessing seeing her with my own children now. 

Natalee and Ninny together for the first time.

Pops loving on his little grand-girl.

Pops and Nico shopping at the Brownsville Children's Museum.

Cheching out at the grocery store.

Nico is now the cashier.

What a smile!

Natalee loves her Pops.

Little cowgirl!

What a big girl!

Kisses!

My boys playing together.

Nico caught a fish!

Sitting on her Daddy's neck for the first time.

I think Pops loves this little princess.

Woo hoo...beach time!

Swimming in the pool at Pops' house. This little girl is chilling out in her float.

Nico loved swimming everyday!  He never wanted to get out of the pool.

Lounging...working on his tan.

I love this boy and his smile is worth a million bucks!

Happy girl in the water.

"Look at me, I am a fish!"

Big smiles!!!

Precious boy!

So handsome and I love that he had so much fun!

Happy Half Birthday-6 Months Old

Dear Natalee,

Today you turn 6 months old.  I can hardly believe how time is flying by.  You are, without a doubt, an incredible blessing in our lives and family. You are gorgeous inside and out, almost always happy and you light up a room when in it. Most importantly, you are an angel; and angel from God.  Natalee Lynn, you are a gift from our Heavenly Father; one that I am most grateful for.  A year and half to two years ago your Daddy and I just weren't sure if Nico was going to be a big brother; however after lots of prayers and doctor appointments, we were extremely surprised to receive a phone call informing us that you were on your way.

I prayed for you, your safety and health everyday while you were getting yourself ready to come meet your family and the world.  Thanks be to God you graced us with your presence unscathed and with little drama.  Being able to hold you in my arms for the first time right after you were born has to have been one of the most precious moments of my life.  All of a sudden, there you were, looking up at me...an answered pray in the form of an angel, and you were mine. I have a hard time trying to find the words to match my feelings because they are so strong.  When I think of what it felt like to hold you, look at you and caress you for the first time, I get teared and choked up. Even today, 6 months later, when I look into your deep blue eyes, my heart swells and a lump forms in my throat.

I write this little letter to you primarily so you know how precious you are; how wanted you were; how hard you were prayed for; how beautiful you are to me and most of all, how loved you are.  Thank you for being God's little angel who came to complete our family, make Nico a big brother and to light up our world.  You are loved so deeply that it can not be described except to say that my love for you runs deeper than any ocean, higher than the star in the and farther than the moon.

I will continue to pray for you as I watch you continue to grow up over the years to come. I pray for you to have a heart for God, one who has a servant's heart, and one who loves others as well as yourself. I pray you are selfless and generous, strong and independent, yet I pray you do not loose yourself in any endeavor you may encounter. Finally, I pray you have a faith unlike any other, are able to find your purpose and that you follow the path God directs you in.

Love You Always and Forever and Ever,

Your Mommy