It's Been Way Too Long...

I know! I have been terrible about updating the blog since being in the States! It has just been easier to throw a few pics up on fb than to actually sit down and type out some great words with my pics! Hee hee!! I am feeling a little overwhelmed by back tracking and catching up the blog. So, I have decided to catch it up in this one post.. yep, one post...a few pics..a few notes...done..and I feel much better! :) Here goes...

Matt and I got to get away for a few days in Tennessee for some rest and relaxation. When you see the other pics below you will know that we have been busy people and this trip was SO NEEDED! My sweet parents kept our kiddos and we can't thank them enough!! :)

Madison cheers...Every week has been filled with cheer practices and football games for Madison! A few weeks ago she was in the local Cabot parade.

She did cartwheels almost all the way down the street for the parade...:)
Matthew Ray is a soccer champ! Our weeks have also been filled with soccer practices and games! He is one of the star players on his team! Last week he made 6 goals!! We think that his practice with Egyptian boys in a 3 ft wide hallway in Egypt really paid off to improve his mad skills....
Mimi came for a visit from California! We had so much fun and she was such a blessing. She kept our house under control while I recovered from foot surgery...
Mimi and Matthew Ray love Juliana's dog, Bentley...
Micah, Bryar and Avery Rae got to come for a couple of days to visit as well! :)
Grandparent's Day...Madison and Matthew Ray's school had grandparents day. Grandaddy and Grammie had lunch with them and took them to buy things at the book fair. What a sweet time for them to share together that doesn't come often in our lives....

Madison and Matthew Ray's 7 and 8 year old birthday party! My mom decorated her house in fun fall decorations for the party...
It was a dress up party and we painted pumpkins and had a cook out...I had to post this pic..it makes me laugh every time I look at it!
Army Man and Ladybug....:)

Tulsa!!!!

We have missed seeing these two together...

We made a trip to Tulsa to see the Prays! They had a weekend of All-American fun pass times planned for us all to enjoy together...
Baseball....Boating...sweet Caroline is talking so much now!Fishing...and swimming in the lake...so fun!Thanks for a great time guys!!! We love you!!

Soccer and Cheer-leading...

Not long after arriving in the states we signed Madison and Matthew Ray up for some extra-curricular activities..yes, yes...we were quickly sucked into the All-American life! :)

Here they are the day they got their uniforms...(notice how "cool" Matthew Ray's pose is:)

Matthew Ray's first game is next week..Here he is after soccer practice. He came back to the car after pracitce with his shoulders back and walking like a man. It was so cute to see his "manliness" come out!

Madison has loved cheering...it is SO HER!

Here she is cheering at her first football game! GO BEARS!


While it keeps us super busy, we are glad they are getting to do something a little different for a few months while we are in the states.

Lots and Lots of Traveling...

It seems that most of our time is spent like this....


and while we don't always look this happy after we have been in the car for MANY hours, we are having a great time traveling to see all those family and friends we have missed so much!

Juliana...

Juliana...such a sweet sister, sister-in-law and aunt to us...We love spending time with her when she gets to come home from college...we just wish that was more often! When Juliana is around she loves taking pictures with our kiddos. I just had to share some of my favorites...








WE LOVE YOU JULIANA!!! COME HOME MORE OFTEN!!!!

Meredith's Golden Year...

Meredith has been saying for years that she couldn't wait for her "golden year" birthday! I had no idea what that meant until she explained to me that it was the number of her age matched with the date of her birthday. So, since she was born on August 14, her golden year is this year when she will be turning 14!
We decided that her birthday would be really special this year to spend with her best friend, Jenna. Jenna has a July bday so we had a joint party for the two of them.

Such great friends...
Meredith's former teacher, Allison, from Egypt even came!
and these girls have known each other since Meredith was 2..sweet Wendi and Whitney....
The blow up slide was a big hit, making everyone extremely sore the following day..:)
Jenna made Meredith a poster of old pics, friend sayings and memories of their friendship...so thoughtful!
They HAD to have this cabana cake...yummy!
It was a great day to get the bday celebrating started..as always, we will be having another party on her "real" bday with family, especially since it is her GOLDEN YEAR! :)

Welcome Home Party

Some dear friends had a welcome home party for us this past weekend! It was so much fun getting together like old times. I was so busy chatting with everyone that I didn't get any pictures of the decorations or of all of the people that came! I did manage to copy a few pics of the evening from a friend who is a "picture taking crazy man!" :)

This was the staff at Calvary when we served there...minus Kelley...Great memories!

Madison got to share a special story about our life in Egypt. She did a great job!
They are all so big now! Wow!
Dancing fun...too sweet...

Calvary Visit 2010

We made a trip back to Pensacola to visit Calvary Baptist where we served for 8 years.Meredith and Kooky..too sweet.
Matt and I got to speak to the small groups...(it looks like Matt might be texting instead of listening to something important from me..:)
I listened to him very well! :)
We were awarded the famous Carley cookies! YUM!
We had such a great time seeing everyone and catching up!