Random Pictures

Wanted to share a few random pictures taken here and there of Jonathan...well, just because! Enjoy!

I love his mischevious look!

Trying to master the stairs at Mimi's house!

Our little Seminole baby in his first offical jersey!

What we wake up to every morning...happy baby!!

His first time down a slide...he LOVED IT!!

Yay!!!

Swimming is his middle name!!

Happy Easter and 7 months old!

Have you heard the good news? Christ has risen...He has risen indeed!

We had a very busy Easter weekend starting with our church's Good Friday service and ending with celebrating Jesus' Resurrection on Easter Sunday. What an amazing worship experience!

Jonathan just recently turned 7 months and my how the time has flown by!! He is very mobile now and boy how our lives have changed. We are now learning how to "child-proof" our home and even then it is not enough! We had a blast picking out Jonathan's first Easter outfit! And if I do say so myself he was a very handsome young man on Easter morning! =) And of course we had to get the kids together for a picture!!!

Look at my handsome boys!!!

P.S. Katy and I had a chance to have a play date and we took the kids to get their picture taken with real live bunnies for Easter. They did great (both the kids and bunnies!). And us mommies had fun too!!

1st Time on Stage

I have been dying to sing one of my concerts and have Jonathan come up on stage with me but wanted to make sure he was old enough to do so. I knew he would eat it up because that's just who Jonathan is! =) I recently found a song titled "A Baby Changes Everything" that talks about Mary and her journey through carrying baby Jesus and birthing Him. This hit really close to home since I'm a new mother myself and I thought no better song to "debut" Jonathan than this one. Needless to say there was not a dry eye in the congregation...myself included!!

Half Year and many milestones!!

We celebrated Jonathan's half birthday this March! I am in amazement of how fast he is growing up! We wanted to do something special for his special day and we thought that capturing this day by photograph would be the best way! My parent's had not had a chance to get any pictures done with Jonathan yet so we asked them to come along and we would do a family session! We had such a wonderful time and got some great pictures together.

Jonathan has made many leaps and bounds in his development! He now has 2 teeth and it took forever for us to get a picture of them but we managed to sneak one in while he was sleeping!! He is now sitting up like a pro and you better not lay him down because he's a big boy now! =) He loves to stand up with assistance and loves taking rides on with Opa on his gator. He is now mobile in his walker and has started to "army crawl". He loves helping daddy work in the yard and mommy in the kitchen! He loves his new high chair from Mimi & Opa and he has gone from his baby tub to mommy & daddy's tub and LOVES bath time!!

A Tribute to Grandma

My husband’s grandma recently suffered a stroke and within a few weeks passed away. She was 80 but her death was very unexpected. Grandma always had such kind and loving words. She was an encourager to everyone who knew her, a gentle spirit with compassion. She loved people and genuinely cared and demonstrated it through her words, telephone calls, cards, thoughtful small gifts and sacrificial efforts. I always felt her love. We will miss her greatly!

Here is a poem that was given to us at her funeral...

Safely Home

I am home in Heaven, dear ones;

Oh, so happy and so bright!

There is perfect joy and beauty

In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,

Every restless tossing passed;

I am now at peace forever,

Safely home in Heaven at last.

Did you wonder I so calmly

Trod the valley of the shade?

Oh! but Jesus' love illumined

Every dark and fearful glade.

And He came Himself to meet me

In that way so hard to tread;

And with Jesus' arm to lean on,

Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve or sorely,

For I love you dearly still:

Try to look beyond earth's shadows,

Pray to trust our Father's Will.

There is work still waiting for you,

So you must not idly stand;

Do it now, while life remaineth-

You shall rest in Jesus' land.

When that work is all completed,

He will gently call you Home;

Oh, the rapture of that meeting,

Oh, the joy to see you come!

On a lighter note...when we went to Grandma's funeral we were able to introduce Jonathan to Jonny's dad and step-mom for the first time and several other family members. We did have a nice time getting together and seeing family again...even though the circumstances were not the best.

Happy Valentine's Day on the big screen...

So for Valentine's Day this year Jonny and my dad went in together and rented a space on a digital billboard for my mom and me. It said "Happy Valentine's Day Gail & Eva Love, Arie, Jonny & JJ"! We were completely suprised but LOVED it!! Thank you sweetheart for the wonderful gift! I love you!!

Weddings, weddings & more weddings...

Love is in the air as 3 of my really close friends tied the knot!! I had the privilege of being in 2 of them as "singing" bridesmaids! =)

A good friend of mine Alisha Huckaby married Josh Ruble.

And Santa walked her down the isle!! She was married the weekend before Christmas!

My best friend Stephanie Sumner married Todd Raines.

And an old work friend Lisa married Mark. I love weddings and all the celebrations that go with them! I wish them all a life-long marriage and pray God's blessing for them!!

Florida Worship Choir

Last year I had the privilege of joining the Florida Baptist Worship Choir and become part of a wonderful program! I was also able to try out for a solo and was so excited when I found out that I got one of the leading songs called "Unto The Lamb"! I am excited about what will come out of worshiping with such passionate and godly ministers and ministers wives! Here are a couple photos of the awesome experience!

Happy 4 Year Anniversary

On January 22, 2005 I married the man of my dreams! We had the picture perfect wedding and celebrated with many family & friends! This year marks our 4 year anniversary! I cannot believe that it has been 4 years already! Wow how the time flies by!! We have had a wonderful marriage so far and pray God's blessing on our lives as we celebrate for many more years to come!!!

Here is a little tribute we have given each other...

I remember how I felt the first time I saw you. There was something about you that I couldn't forget. Maybe it was your eyes or your irresistible smile; all those things that I have since come to know so well. But whatever it was, I remember that it drew me in and took hold of me in a way I couldn't ignore. Now when I look at you, I see someone who's become so incredibly important in my life. Yet there are still those moments when I feel the mystery, the charm, the same invisible power pulling me to you; just as it did when we first met. And in those moments, I can't help myself...I fall in love all over again! When I see your sleepy, smiling face on the pillow next to mine, the words "good morning" seem absolutely true. When I see your smile in the steamy bathroom mirror, I know I can get through the day. When I see your smile across the crowded room, everyone else disappears. And when I see your smile at day's end, back on the same pillow, I wonder how I came to be this blessed. I can't help myself...I fall in love all over again!

5 months, photo shoot & sitting up!!!

I've been wanting to get some professional pictures done of Jonathan I this month we finally had the opportunity to meet up with a good friend of mine from high school who is a photographer. Kellie Day and her husband Clint from http://www.kelliedayphotography.com/ came over to our house and did a photo shoot with us and Jonathan! She had been wanting to update her portfolio and do some practicing on infants & children and I told her she could do all the practicing she wanted on Jonathan! =) We had a great time catching up and getting some GREAT pictures of Jonathan! She does an amazing job! There is one photo in particular that Kellie took that when she sent it to me I thought she was sending me a picture of the Gerber baby and not Jonathan. I asked her who that baby was and she told me it was Jonathan! We have had many people tell us that he looks like the Gerber baby but when I saw this picture I saw it with my own eyes! He truly is our Gerber baby! =)

Jonathan is now 5 months old and sitting up so big! He has decided that he does not like to lay on the floor because it makes you sleepy when you lay down and we don't want to go to sleep! He has such a strong will but is such a happy baby! We always get the comment, "Is he always this happy?" And the answer is...YES! We are blessed to have such a happy baby! Who wouldn't be? Jonathan is such joy in our lives!!!