Uncle Brad

Uncle Brad came in from Atlanta last weekend for the Memorial Day holiday. We were so happy to see him. He hadn't been home since Christmas and last saw Anna when she was just a few days old. She has changed so much in 5 months! We have had a great time just hanging out with Brad. Ben & Brad have been able to do a lot together in the last week. I wish Brad lived closer because I know Ben has a lot of fun with Brad. They definitely keep us laughing when they are together. You've got to love "guy humor"!!

The Cutting Family- We don't get many pictures with ALL of us!

I love this picture of Brad with both his nieces! Claire recently learned to say "cheese" when we take her picture and we get the funniest pictures now!

Uncle Brad & Anna

Anna's 5 Month Quilt Pictures

My sweet, little Anna turned 5 months old on May 21st. She is getting very STRONG and is definitely enjoying having some control over her body. She is at that age where holding her is a full time job. If she decides she wants to arch her back or squirm, she could come right out of your arms. She pretty much has mastered getting out of the Bumbo. So... gone are the days that I can just put her in the Bumbo while I try to get a few things done! She still continues to be a great baby and seems pretty low-key. I know she is still young and we can't wait to watch as her personality continues to blossom. I love being a mother to two little girls and as much as I worried about their 17 month age difference when I was pregnant with Anna, I truly wouldn't want it any other way! I love that Claire & Anna are so close in age and I know they will always have each other throughout life! God's plan & timing are so much better than mine! Anna is wearing her beautiful dedication gown Grammy got for her!

Our miss smiley was not in the smiling mood when I took these pictures. I took them right before nap time so it was bad timing on my part!

A good shot her her laying flat in her gown!

Even though she isn't smiling here, I think she has such a sweet, pleasant little face!

RiverBlast 2008

This afternoon we went Downtown for RiverBlast 2008. It was such a pretty day and we knew we wanted to do something outdoors. RiverBlast was a lot of fun and we went early, before it got too busy or too hot. Claire, once again, had a great time on the inflatables. There were a bunch of inflatables and several were even free. We also watched a Purina dog frisbee show. The guy that was there had several dogs that performed and they were all National or World Champions. It was amazing to watch the acrobatics of the dogs (and the handler for that matter)! It was quite impressive and our little dog lover, Claire, seemed to be enthralled by it. We were in the very front so she got a great view of the action! She actually tried to climb over the railing a couple times to get an even closer look at the "doggies"!

More inflatable fun!

She didn't seem to mind that the other kids were quite a bit older and bigger than her. Sometimes she had a hard time standing up because of all the bouncing from the other kids, but that only seemed to add to her fun!

She went on a total of 6 inflatables while we were there and it STILL wasn't enough for her!

Claire really liked "Cindy" the dog!

Claire's front row view of the show!

Claire enjoyed leaning over the rail! Look how long her hair has gotten!

This dog is balancing on the handlers feet! WOW!!! The tricks were spectacular!

Anna's 1st Dragon Game

This week we took Anna to her first Dayton Dragon's baseball game! It was a bit chilly outside, but we bundled up and headed for the ballpark! I'm not sure how much fun Anna had, but Claire had a blast! She loved the Kids Zone. They had lots of games and inflatables to bounce in. We had a hard time getting her away from there. I actually had to bribe her with popcorn. She is a sucker for popcorn!! She also really liked seeing Heeter & Gem the Dragons mascots. It was kind of funny because she called Heeter "Barney" several times. I guess they are both big, oversized ,dragon like creatures! It was a fun family outing!

Family picture outside 5/3 Field

Claire waiting her turn to bounce in the inflatable. She was lucky enough to be able to go in by herself!

"JUMP, JUMP!!"

Another fun inflatable. I had to go in after her. She did not want to come out!!

Grammy & Grandpa came with us! Cute picture of them with the girls at the ballpark!

As I referenced above... Claire enjoys the popcorn. She ate almost the whole bag!!

Heeter's head got cut off a little, but it is the only picture with both the girls and Heeter!

Anna with Gem!

Claire liked waving to Gem and Heeter from a distance. She wasn't so sure about them up close! In this picture she is saying "hi" to Gem!

Baby Grant

We recently took a trip over to my friend Brittney's house to see their newest addition, baby Grant! He was born on May 4th and mommy and baby are both doing great! His big sister, Anna, is very sweet with him and is a very proud big sister! She was so gentle with Grant. We are so happy for Mike, Brittney & Anna. Grant is adorable!! CONGRATULATIONS!

This is the "Proud BIG Sibling" club!! Anna (big sister to baby Grant), Claire (big sister to baby Anna) and Landon (big brother to baby Olivia)!

Brittney & Grant!

A cute group picture!

Grant & Olivia- just a few weeks apart in age!

Visiting with Family

On Sunday, we drove to Columbus to see Ben's cousin Curt, his wife Sue and their kids, Sophie & Charlie. They live in LA, but were in the area for a reunion at Ohio University, their alma mater. We hadn't seen them since we visited them in California several years ago. It was nice visiting with them and seeing their two beautiful children. Sophie will be 6 in July and Charlie will be 1 next month. We call Claire & Sophie "birthday buddies" because they both share July 16th as their birthday! This also happens to be their Great Grandpa Cutting's birthday as well!! How neat! Claire had so much fun playing with Sophie outside that day. Sophie was exceptionally sweet with Claire and really seemed to have fun playing with Claire despite the age difference. We wish they lived closer because they are so much fun! I guess we will just have to find an excuse to go out to LA to visit them there!!

Sophie & her mommy Sue!

Sue & Curt

Grammy holding little Charlie! He is such a cutie!

Daddy & Claire eating the fabulous food!

I love this sweet picture of Sophie & Claire on the swing!! What a cute cousin picture!

Please Pray

This morning I found out some horrible news. My favorite Christian recording artist, Steven Curtis Chapman, lost his 5 year old daughter in a terrible accident. She was struck by a car that her older brother was driving and subsequently died at the hospital from her injuries. Maria was adopted by the Chapman's as an infant from China. They also have two other girls they adopted from China and have three biological children. Steven has been such an encouragement to me over the years. I just love his music and feel such a connection to him and his family. He and his wife Mary Beth have raised so much awareness about adoption and have an organization called Shaohannah's Hope. The mission statement is "mobilizing the body of Christ to care for orphans". Please pray for their family right now (especially their son) as they deal with this horrific loss. I can't even imagine. I have been so sad this morning. It really puts things in perspective for me. As I laid my girls down for their naps today I rocked each of them to sleep (which I don't normally do!), but I just realized you don't know how much time any of us have here on this earth. These precious moments we spend with our children and each other are fleeting. I held my girls close and smelled their hair and touched their soft skin and tried to soak it all in.

I pray that the Lord holds the Chapman family tightly right at this moment.

Walk For Life

We had a super busy weekend, but a fun one! On Saturday morning we went to the Walk For Life. This was a fundraiser for the Miami Valley Women's Center. This is such a wonderful Christian organization that gives help to women that are considering abortion or counseling to those that have already had an abortion. They help women find answers with issues surrounding unplanned pregnancies, abortion, and many other life issues. I love that we have this organization in our area and we are committed to supporting them. They have many women (and unfortunately girls) that come in thinking they are at the abortion center in Kettering on Stroop Road (one of the few clinics that preform late term abortions/partial birth abortions). One of the Miami Valley Women's Centers three area offices is on Stroop Road as well. They have been able to save many babies because of this Divine mix up! We believe strongly in the sanctity of life and believe that every baby has the right to live. I want to help be a voice for these precious babies that have no voice. Please pray for me right now. I really feel led to volunteer my time & services to the Miami Valley Women's Center. I feel that as a neonatal nurse and mother of two I have a lot to offer and what better way to give than to help these women and babies in need. Please pray that if it's God's will that I be involved with this organization that He will open the door and allow things to fall into place! If you would like to visit the Miami Women's Centers website, the link is... http://www.womenscenter.org. Please consider donating to this very worthwhile cause and please keep them in your prayers. They are truly doing the Lord's work!

Grammy & Grandpa went on the walk with us! It was a beautiful morning and there was a great turn out!

The city of Kettering had one of its fire trucks on display. Claire loves trucks and sirens right now, but didn't really want any part in sitting in the truck!

Happy Anna in the stroller! Now that I have my own children I feel even stronger in my conviction against abortion. Can you imagine the world without this precious face!

I found this great Biblical argument against abortion and wanted to share it.

Psalm 139:13-16 paints a graphic picture of the intimate involvement of God with a preborn person. God created David's "inmost being," not at birth, but BEFORE birth. David says to his Creator, "You knit me together in my mother's womb." Each person, regardless of his parentage of handicap, has not been manufactured on a cosmic assembly line, but has been personally knitted together by God in the womb. All the days of his life have been planned out by God before any have come to be (Psalm 139:16).

New Swing Set

On Saturday Ben finished up putting together a swing set for Claire & Anna. We decided to just get a cheapie because we will probably only need it for a couple years. I don't think Claire could've been more excited if we got the most expensive swing set available! We actually took some video of Claire as she saw the swing set for the first time. It was so cute. She ran to it saying "swing, swing, swing". I told her to thank Daddy for getting her the swing set and she must have said "thank you Daddy" a hundred times. It was so sweet! I took some video of that too! She was so excited! PRICELESS!

Claire loves "big girl" swings!

She used the baby swing for her doll. She kept pointing to the baby swing saying "baby Anna swing"! Also, Claire's hair is long enough for a pony tail now! Ben I think she looks so grown up with her hair back!

Our girls in their swings!

Daddy putting on some finishing touches!

These pictures were taken in the evening after Claire had her bath. She cried to go back outside to swing! She also insisted on wearing this little tutu ballerina outfit Grammy gave her earlier that day. I didn't let her sleep in it because I hadn't washed it, but she seemed to enjoy playing outside in it! What a girlie girl!!

Going down her slide all by herself! She climbs up the steps and slides down. Such a big girl!

Playing on the glider. She was hesitant of it at first, but really liked it once she gave it a try!

Claire made her own monkey bar! She had a lot fun swinging from it!!

Just a pretty shot of Sophie in the grass! She loves the nice weather too!