Christmas pics..

Just a few pictures of what Christmas was like at the Brians'. We had a wonderful time with my parents. Cade got way too much of course, but he got everything he asked for. He actually woke up late Christmas morning, but was ready to open his gifts. The night before I read him the Christmas story. He knew the story of Christmas from school, but we read it together as a family. I love the book because it illustrates the best gift that was given and the best gift that we can give Jesus..."ourselves." The last page of the book is a mirror to illustrate the gift. Love that!!

A few favorite things Cade got for Christmas: Tonka remote control car, ambulance and police car, garbage truck, WWE figurines-Triple H and Randy Orton, and his hungry hippos game.

We are very thankful for all of our family in Tennessee, Ohio, and Texas and wish we could all be together for Christmas one day! Thank you for making this day so special for us! We love you all!!

Cousins...

So one of the great things about our trip to Ohio last week was that I was able to see my sister. We don't get to see each other that much so it is always a joy when we are together. Cade and Holland are four months apart and obviously they haven't seen each other in quite some time. It didn't matter, the two hit it off immediately. As we sat in the waiting room for our second appointment, the two played football-all out I might add. In fact, they were playing so hard they hit another patient with the football who was waiting as well. That did not go over so well-the patient actually took the football with them back to their room as the boys cried. I thought surely he was just kidding with the boys, but no, he was furious and told us we needed to control our kids...Chris' response was so funny: "They are three, get over it!"
Anyway, I did happen to get a few pics of the boys at Hill's house and of course my new niece Addison. They played so well together and wish we all lived closer. Love you all! Mom, I hope you enjoy these!

A Temporary Distress....

"..your difficulty can be seen as a slight, temporary distress that is producing for you a transcendent Glory never to cease!" (Sarah Young)

We arrived at Dr. Holland's office at 9:30, appointment was at 10:00. We were not sure how long it would take so we came well prepared to keep Cade entertained. He had a backpack full of books and toys and I brought my laptop. Thank goodness...we were there for 4 hours. Cade did great! He was such a trooper. We met with Dr. Holland and he layed out a plan for Cade.
Our next appointment was with the plastics specialist at 2:00, so we hurried out and arrived just in time. We met up with my sister, her son, and her new baby. She is so cute and little. Holland and Cade played with each other the whole time. We then met with Dr. Nerad and he also layed out a plan along with Dr. Holland. At this point, we were somewhat overwhelmed with what had to be done to remove the scarring from the cornea. I will try to describe it the best I can:

Dr. Holland will be using donor cornea to replace the scar tissue on the eye that has developed on the cornea. This scar tissue is also attached to the inside of Cade's eyelid. Dr. Nerad will resect the eyelid away from the tissue using mucous membrane to keep the lid from re-attaching to the donor cornea. The mucous membrane will come from the inside of Cade's mouth-either the inside of his bottom lip or the inside of his jaw. Dr. Nerad will then put a ring/doughnut shape device in Cade's eye that will keep the eyelid and cornea from re-attaching while they both heal. There is also a possibility that they will stitch the eyelids shut for a week so that nothing interferes with the device or Cade rubs it or whatever. They also might put a stint in his tear duct to help the watering of his eye. We will have to return a week after surgery and then 3 weeks out and then 6 weeks out.

So you can see that we were overwhelmed, but we were very confident at the same time. Both of these doctors are the best at what they do and they both spoke very highly of Cade's doctor here in Nashville. In fact, they all know each other's work and have the ultimate respect for what they do.

We haven't set a date yet and will wait to hear from them in the next two weeks. Looks like we will be making a few trips back to Ohio and that I will be seeing alot of my sister in the months to come which I am grateful for!

So here is what Jesus said to me the morning of our doctor appointments via "Jesus Calling:"
"When you are plagued by a persistent problem-one that goes on and on-view it as a rich opportunity. An ongoing problem is like a tutor who is always by your side. The learning possibilities are limited only by your willingness to be teachable. In faith, thank Me for your problem. Ask Me to open your eyes and your heart to all that I am accomplishing through this difficulty. Once you have become grateful for a problem, it loses its power to drag you down. On the contrary, your thankful attitude will lift you up into heavenly places with Me. From this perspective, your difficulty can be seen as a "slight, temporary distress that is producing for you a transcendent Glory never to cease!"

Love that Jesus was speaking to me before I even had a clue about the day at hand and how even in overwhelming moments He is there to reassure us and remind us that this is just a temporary distress. We should open our eyes and hearts to what He is accomplishing through this difficulty.

To God alone be the glory!

carlee

Another step in our Journey...

When we visited NYC in January of '08, Dr. Fay removed a portion of the VM from white part of his eyeball and eyelid. It was a very successful surgery, but a very difficult recovery for Cade. When the VM was removed Dr. Fay used an amniotic membrane graft that would work like a bandaid on the white part of Cade's eyeball. About three hours post-op, Cade begin to get very agitated and upset. We think he might have been in some pain, not sure, but his eye began to bleed profusely. It is something Chris and I will never forget as we watched the blood go through his bandage and down his face...practically everywhere. Once things were under control the doctor came in to tell us that the graft probably did not hold and we would have to make a trip back to NYC to repair it.

Our prayers were answered when they examined him the next morning and the graft was still there. Over the course of the year, this graft has led to some scarring on his cornea that needs to be removed.

So this is where we are in our journey. Our surgeon here suggested that we see a cornea specialist in Ohio. We will be heading up to the Cincinnati Eye Institute this week to meet with the best-Dr. Holland-a cornea specialist and we will also see a plastics specialist.

We are praying that the Lord will give the doctors wisdom and discernment in what needs to take place regarding Cade's cornea. From this point, I am not quite sure what the next step will be, but I know that the Lord has been walking with us through this journey all along. He has been our provider, healer, protector, encourager, etc.
through it all.

"In everything, in everything, we will shout for your glory....In everything, in everything, we will shout for your praise!" This was one of our worship songs this past Sunday.. I love it!! It is a reminder to give Him praise and glory through our highs and lows and it points us to the One who gave His everything for us..what a great reminder this Christmas!!!

Addison Kaye Young

Today, at 10:16 I became another proud Aunt of a new niece...Addison Kaye Young. My sister delivered a healthy baby girl, 8 lbs. 9 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. She is the cutest...and the biggest little girl I have seen. No wonder Hillary was having so much trouble toward the end of her pregnancy. She is absolutely adorable with so much hair.. I love it!! I cannot wait to meet her and hold her! Both Hillary and Addison are doing great and Holland is going to be the best big brother. Congrats to all of them and we are praying for you all!! We love you baby Addison!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.....

Well, we survived Thanksgiving with the family, but didn't go without some type of event in regards to Cade. Evidently, he is allergic to dogs. My dad's dog licked him in the eye and it immediately began to swell... not good. It was irritating him so much because of the itchiness. We gave him some Benadryl and it helped quite a bit, but it took all day for the swelling to go down. Anyways, it never fails... We had a great time with my brother and his family. My sister could not come due to the fact that is about to deliver her 2nd child..Addison..at any time. (can't wait to meet her)
I actually went shopping on Black Friday this year, but didn't go until about 10. I went to Walmart to try to find some of Cade's things he had asked for Christmas, and all of them were on sale! It was awesome! I thought for sure everything would be gone. Got some great deals!
Cannot believe it is December already! This morning it was 29 degrees...yep it's December alright!! Chris and I have already put up our tree and my friend Jennifer came over and helped me decorate my home for Christmas.. it looks awesome! She is so good and I am awful...so awful!
Last year after Christmas we bought some decorations that were half off, including 2 houses that light up. I put one in Cade's room. You should have seen his face when he saw it. He loves it! He just stares at it and watches the little people skate around the tree. I am so excited to watch him interact with us during Christmas. He loves everything about this time of the year... he gets that from his dad!! He still calls Santa Clause, Christmas.. so cute.
We are heading to Ohio on the 16th of this month to meet with two doctors in regards to the scarring on Cade's cornea, Dr. Holland, the cornea specialist and Dr. Nerad, the plastics specialist. Please pray for wisdom for us as we determine the next step for Cade. Although this is just the next step, I am very thankful that we are nearing the end of this process. We also received a very positive report on his vision last month..Praise the Lord!! Cade kept saying very excitedly," My eye gettin' better!"
Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

carlee

Thankful!

Every year we have so much to be thankful for and this year is no exception. There have been many times that I have been in awe of what God had done in our lives, as well as, our family and friends' lives! 2009 brought with it times where we were thankful in the good and the bad. We learned so much through our struggles and were thankful for them. All we saw were messes that were made not knowing that God was weaving a beautiful work within us. He was turning our messes into a message! Love that! Here are just a few things we are thankful for:
-Cade's progress with his eye-successful surgeries!
-A job-one that I love!
-healthy family-mom and dad
-My sister's pregnancy and little Addison
-My brother's new job in Memphis and his family
-Children who have been adopted and have a forever family
-new friends that the Lord has given me-Jennifer and Tosha-love you both!!
-vacations spent with family at the beach
-being able to visit Chris' family each summer in Texas
-financial provisions that came only from the Lord!
-a new home
-Cade's friends-Joshua, Timmy, Christopher, Caleb and Ace
-Cade's teachers-they love him like their own
-the Lord's wisdom in making decision regarding Cade's eye
-my salvation!
-too many to post!

We are so blessed and thankful beyond words! The Lord has given us so much and my prayer is that I begin to look for more ways to bless others who have nothing.

I just finished reading Crazy Love and at the end of the book Francis Chan gives us several stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Those whom the Lord gave much to they gave back ten-fold. The story that I loved was about a doctor named Nathan Barlow. The Lord called him to Ethiopia to minister to people who had a disease called "mossy foot." What this disease did to the people there was similar to those who where lepers in OT times. They were considered outcasts. Dr. Barlow became sick and had to take some medical leave out of the country for a while to receive treatment for a tooth. He hated being out of Ethiopia and was so distressed about being gone from his mission, he ordered the doctor to remove ALL his teeth and give him dentures so that he wouldn't have this problem again and he would not have to leave the Ethiopian people. He loved this country so much, when he passed away he was returned to Ethiopia and buried there.

This doctor had so much, but he gave so much! This was just one of many who sought after God's kingdom instead of their own, because they knew their treasure was being stored in Heaven!

My prayer is the same, not to look at earthly pleasures, but to seek His kingdom first and to look for opportunities to help those in need..

Be thankful!

Blessings,
cb

I was country when country wasn't cool...

So the CMA's were AMAZING! I was so excited that by the time I got in the car to go I had already used the bathroom 4 times. When we arrived, I began looking for everyone. Our seats were incredible. We sat to the right of the stage. It was a big night for Taylor Swift-becoming the youngest to ever win Entertainer of the Year. Her performances were fun to watch. Some of the highlights of the night for me were:
1. Seeing all the gorgeous dresses Carrie Underwood wore as host.
2. The Zac Brown Band performing "Devil went down to Georgia"-what an amazing fiddle player
3. Sugarland's performance.
4. Watching Tim and Faith present Entertainer of the Year.
5. Daughtry performance with Vince Gill.
6. Lady Antebellum...
7. Watching Brooks and Dunn's last performance together on the CMA's.
8. The puns regarding Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV awards.
9. Carrie Underwood's performance of "Cowboy Cassanova"
10. Martina McBride and George Strait's rendition of Barbara Mandrell's "I was country when country wasn't cool." (she was inducted into the country music hall of fame)

An unbelievable night for me and one that I will never forget. Thank you to the Adcocks for taking me! I took some pics, but they were not great! My camera could not get anywhere close to the stage..hate that, but here are a few!

Country Music Awards!

So everybody already knows by now, but I got tickets to the 43rd CMA's this year! I cannot tell you how excited I am.. I have been wanting to attend this forever! I did attend a small awards show about 6 years ago, but nothing like the CMA's..(Country Music Awards) Every top musician will be there and the performers range from George Strait, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Chris Daughtry, Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson, and many others!
I have a student in class whose family owns box seats. We are going with her family. So not only do I have tickets, but box seats at that! So blessed beyond words! I am also going with one of my favorite people in the world, my forever friend Tosha! We have so much fun together and I know it will be a blast. I will take pics so that I can do a follow up post!
The last time I was this excited about an event was when I was in highschool and my parents got us tickets to go watch Michael Jordan play in Atlanta! So amazing! I will never forget that!
This will be one to remember! Check back for pics! (can I say Chris is very bitter about me going...he loves George Strait!)

Cade's post

I wanted to share a little bit of what Cade has been saying or doing lately just to have a record of it. He is getting so big and his vocabulary has been cracking Chris and I up so much at home. We realllllly have to be careful now with what we say.. which means daddy can't be using his bowling words in the house! (JK) So here are some things Cade is doing and saying right now:
1. He is not a morning person and has either a breakfast bar, honey bun, donuts, or cereal before we head out the door in the morning.
2. He loves his MWF teacher Ms. Della and his best friend is Christopher-you should see them play together.. they have a love/hate relationship.
3. When he is hungry, he says "i hungy mommy."
4. He prays for Nana and Papa's beach house every night. (they don't have one but we spent this summer at the beach with them, so he assumes it is theirs.)
5. He is learning his letters and he can count to 30!
6. He can spell his name..not on paper yet, but he can say it.
7. He is the most popular 3 yr. old at CPA where I teach.
8. He loves to wrestle and watch wrestling. His favorite is John Cena and Triple H.
9. He still plays with his cars and trucks.
10. He loves when he sees a police car, fire truck, or ambulance on the road.
11. He eats at McDonalds at least once a week..(i know, it is awful!!)
12. He eats the whole time I go grocery shopping. I guess just being there around all that food makes him eat...who can blame him?
13. He does not like the slow worship songs I play in the car only the fast ones, and asks me to put on a fast song.
14. He knows that Jesus loves him and that he lives in Heaven and in our hearts! Love that!
15. His favorite movies are still Cars and Finding Nemo, and he loves the Amazing Race.
16. He is becoming more independent every day and has started going the potty by himself.
17. He thinks our jeep is the slow "beep-beep" and the altima is the fast "beep-beep."
18. When you ask him what his favorite football team is he says "daddy's team."
19. He can point out a doctor a mile away..
20. He is the strongest and bravest 3 1/2 year old I know!

Love you Cade!

mommy

Fall 2009

I finally downloaded some pics of Cade from this month. We were able to go to Owen Farm this year. Our church had a Fall Carnival out there this year and Cade and I and our friends Jamie, Jennifer, and the boys all went. Chris had a football meeting of course, so he couldn't go. We had a fun time. Cade climbed the haystacks, rode the barrel train, and the hayride. He watched the chickens, donkeys, and goats play but would not pet them. I think he gets that from me...not really into animals. We spent alot of time on the playground. They had an airplane that was a see-saw and Cade sat in the pilot's seat the entire time...so much that he wouldn't get off for fear someone would take it.
Before we left we headed to the pumpkin patch to pick our yearly pumpkin. Cade loved this part. He found one just his size.
This year Cade wanted to be a dinosaur for Halloween, but when we went to pick out his costume he pointed to the football player. So we will pull out his Alabama (who is currently #2 and 8-0) jersey and his football pants Nana bought him and hit the streets. Happy Fall Ya'll!!!

carlee

"Nursemaids Elbow"

So Chris and I made another trip to our second home last night..Vanderbilt Children's ER..I think they might know us by name. Anyway, after a furious W.W.E. brawl last night with daddy, we ended up taking Cade to the ER. He landed on his arm and we had no clue what he did. Was it broke, fractured, etc. we weren't sure. He would not use it and cried for 2 hours. We tried to ice it and look for swelling, but couldn't see what was hurting him.
Of course when we got there Cade was scared to death. Everyone was wearing masks of course due to the H1N1 and he did not like that. Every time he saw a bed he lost it. I can't imagine what was running through his head.. probably everything from getting pokes, to having to be put to sleep, to not being with mommy and daddy. We kept assuring him we were there and we would not leave him and that he was not getting any pokes.
They X-rayed his forearm and nothing was broke, but they needed to get an X-ray of his elbow. We went back to get another picture. When the tech positioned Cade's arm for the picture he began to cry very hard. The tech heard a pop and evidently popped Cade's elbow back into place. It is what they call "nursemaids elbow." Never heard of it or even understand how that name describes the injury, but evidently very common in toddlers. Cade was completely fine after that. He began to use the arm again and acted like nothing was wrong.
We were so thankful that it happened that way and that the doctor did not have to come in and reset it with us knowing. Thank you Jesus for the small things!

I think it is amazing to think about how our God comforts us when we are scared, discouraged, unsure about life, etc. It is the same way we comfort our own children. We speak softly, reassuring them that we are there and we are with them, and we will never leave them. Just as the Lord tells us "He will never leave us or forsake us." He assures us through his Word and his silent whispers. Thank you Jesus for being ever-present in our lives and for your still small voice that comforts us in the midst of difficult circumstances!

Heaven and Such

So since my middle school volleyball season ended, Cade and I have had some great time together and many conversations. He has asked me everyday if I have "bolleyball today" and when I tell him no, he says "yeah!" He loves coming straight home everyday and not having to stay longer at school. He just wants to play at his house with his friends. Can't say that I blame him.
So this week while we were playing in his room, for some reason we started talking about Heaven. I asked Cade where he lived, trying to get him to remember his address, but he insisted that he lived in Heaven with Jesus. I then asked him how do we get to Heaven. His reply confused me until I later realized what he was trying to tell me....and it was Priceless! So this is what he told me. He said he was going to Heaven with mommy, daddy, his teachers, his friends, and a rope. A rope? My first thought was, what were his teachers telling him at school and at church? Surely they haven't been telling him you climb a rope to get to Heaven....if that was the case I would NEVER make it. So then I began to put two and two together.
At school, when the class leaves the building to go to the gym, or outside, the teachers have a colored rope that each of the kids hold on to on each side, so they don't stray. It is a tool used to keep up with the kids and keep them in a line. So Cade thought that is how he would get to Heaven...holding his rope in a line with his friends, teachers, and of course mommy and daddy. HILARIOUS!!!!! I love having conversations with him and love to see how much his imagination is growing each day. I am amazed at Cade each day. He has an unbelievable memory! I am so proud of the little man he is becoming each day. Love you bubba!

The "Three's"

can't you just see the 'tude' in this pic??


Okay,
Whoever told me that the terrible two's were awful were sooo WRONG!!!!! We hit the three's in March and we entered a state of major attitude, dependency, tantrum throwing, etc. You name it, we have hit it. Looking back it should be the "terrific two's" compared to the three's. Chris and I both are learning as we go with Cade. We are trying to stay consistent, but loving.
Might be time to hit the old James Dobson's book on boys. Anybody remember those?

Cade is growing up so fast and he is learning new things everyday.He has 4 teachers this year and he loves each one of them. Because he does not like change, it has taken him a few weeks to get adjusted to his new school schedule. He loves school and church.
He even sometimes asks to go to church in the mornings instead of school. Too cute!

I swear he is the most popular 3 year old at CPA. He walks the halls and all the girls love on him. He knows it too and soaks it all up.

He tries our patience, but we love him so much. I just have to remember it is just a phase of life and he won't be 3 forever!!!!!

carlee

147 Million....

This post doesn't really sound like something I would ever be posting about, but the Lord has been calling me this week to hit my knees and pray for the helpless, the needy, the orphans of the world. My church is heavily involved in this ministry and I am surrounded by friends and family who are walking through difficult times right now regarding adoptions.
My first experience with this was in China. I was fortunate to go with a friend of mine to get her adopted little girl from China. It was an experience that I will never forget that stole a little part of my heart. As I watched each child's name being called and handed over to their forever families, it was a resemblance to how our Heavenly Father opens His arms an embraces us despite our sins, abnormalties, imperfections, etc. Even having walked through this process with Gwen and experiencing the adoption process first hand, I came back with not a thought about other orphans suffering in various parts of the world, I was just ready to be home. I was happy and ecstatic for her family and loving the fact that Emily would have a home and that she would have a forever mommy and daddy. Home-something that most of us have and many are without. Many.....147 million to be exact!

There are so many thoughts that have been going through my mind in the past months. I won't go into detail, but I feel right now that my job is to just pray. I have been seeking the Lord's face about my part in regards to adoption.
What is my part? I am fervently praying for those in the process of adopting, those waiting to adopt, and those whom the Lord has called to care for the orphans, but is that it?
Is the Lord calling me to a different place in my life, is He preparing me for something greater? I have no clue, but I am completely surrendered to His call for my life.
Please join me in prayer for the orphans of the world and may He call the nations-the Christians to rise up and do something about it!!
If you are interested you can check out this website to help... www.147millionorphans.com

So Not worthy, but HIS
carlee

CRAZY?

This has been one of those weeks that has been crazy and busy all in one. We started school 2 weeks ago and have already been in a locked down, and flu season has already begun. In fact, some of our kids actually have the H1N1 type. On top of that, most of the kids that were or are sick, were girls off my volleyball team. I have been praying that Cade and I both do not get this.
Another part of my crazy week would involve insurance for Cade. Cade had several things done in NYC for 2 years and we had not seen a bill yet for the service rendered. Our first EOB (explanation of benefits) came in the mail this week and thought my heart stopped beating for a few minutes. Cade was able to have surgery in NY through Dr. Waner and Fay who were both approved as in-network, but there seems to have been some problems with the insurance company and the doctors office, so our EOB was for the complete cost for the surgery that took place in January of '08. Wow!!
I am praying that things will get worked out and I know that we serve a faithful God and He will provide, but it made me go to a place of doubt for a few days. Why do we question God's faithfulness when He has been faithful before and will continue to be faithful to the end? We are human...and we are sinful creatures. I know that He again, is exercising my "trust muscles." I must allow Him to work and not carry this heavy load alone!
On better note, for two weeks I have wanted to get the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. A dear friend of mine brought me the book yesterday! I have only read the foreword and Preface and I know it will bring challenges and changes to my life! I am ready to encounter the "love of a relentless God."

Not worthy, but HIS

carlee

School has Started!

We are officially in school mode. I have to be at school by 7:20, so Cade and I have been working on getting our sleep each night. I put him to bed between 8-8:30 and wake him every morning around 6:20. It has been quite the adjustment for the both of us. I am coaching middle school volleyball this year,so we are at school everyday until 5.. it makes for a long day for him, but he has done great!
He loves coming to school with me and actually knows his way around pretty well. In fact, he seems to think sometimes he owns the place. I am so thankful that he enjoys being at CPA. He loves all the attention he gets of course!!

Something happened last week that I think is too cute not to share. The other night, after Chris got Cade out of the bathtub, he and Chris were conversing about something. I overheard their conversation and it melted my heart. I am not sure what they were talking about, but I heard Cade say, "daddy, i have one eye." Chris and I both have heard him say this before and we always tell him, "no, you have two eyes.." He looks in the mirror quite often when getting out of his bath. I then heard Cade say, "God take care of my eye." Love it! At three I so hope he understands that statement and if not he will!! So true, that He has already taken care of Cade and continues to! I am so proud of him, but he is growing up toooo fast!!!

What's up with the Brians?

Summer is almost over for us and we are beginning to wind things down as Chris and I both start school in two weeks. Cade's pre-school doesn't begin until September, but he will be going with me and will be kept by Ms. Pam whom he loves.
Chris has started two-a-days for football, so it has been mommy and Cade the last few days. We haven't done alot in the past few weeks, but I will highlight some end of the summer fun. Of course, everday consist of playing with Caleb and Ace during the day, which could be riding their battery-operated vehicles, playing baseball, finding big rocks in the yard, mowing the grass, playing with sidewalk chalk, playing with play-doh, taking walks, and maybe a few tantrums scattered within. They do love each other though.

My friend Jennifer and I took the boys to Chuck E Cheese and they had a blast. We also tried to take them to the splashpad at Burns Park one day, but none of the boys wanted anything to do with the water. They wanted to play on the playground instead... keep in mind part of the reason we went was that it was so hot, and we both thought the water would cool them down...nope, they could care less it was 95 degrees that day!

Cade and I took daddy down to the river one day. He had never been and Cade wanted to show daddy how far he could throw the rocks. Even at 3 boys try to out-do themselves--Cade kept insisting to pick up the rocks that were way to big for him to throw...so cute.

On Thursday, Cade and I drove to Chattanooga to see Nana and Papa and to celebrate Brody's birthday. (my brother's little boy) Nana took Friday off and we did some school shopping for Cade and he rode the train in the mall. Later that day Nana and Papa took him to the zoo. He had a great time and loved seeing the big turtles and watching Nana hit her head on the turtle tank. (LOL) It was so much fun!

This week will be hard for Cade. We found out 2 weeks ago that he will need another set of tubes in his ears and they want to remove his adnoids. That will be done on Tuesday. I tried to figure out a way for him not to have another surgery for a while, but this fluid has been in his ears for about 3 months and is affecting his hearing. The thought of him getting upset at the hospital just breaks my heart and makes me hurt for him. The surgery is only about 30 minutes, but it is all the pre-op stuff that he freaks out about and I can say I can't blame him.

Also, today he has an eye appt. with his vision doctor and surgical doctor. I am praying for positive words and that his vision has improved. This visit doesn't scare Cade, but just the thought of going to the doctor makes him upset. On a side note, we will be scheduling an appt. with the cornea specialist in Ohio in weeks to come to remove the scarring on the cornea.. Praises that he is already in our insurance network!! THANK YOU JESUS!!

Cade, I promise you there will be a day when you will not have to visit the hospital as much. I know the Lord has big plans for your life! You are a very strong little boy whose strength comes from the Lord. I pray that you will be a young man who others look up to for enduring strength and confidence that God is good, all the time!! We love you and you are "OUR WARRIOR."

Josh. 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous..for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Down by the river...

So I try to find some different things for Cade and I to do together once Chris starts football in July. We live very close the Harpeth River and live about 5 minutes from a park that leads you to the river. We have passed this park many times and often wondered what it was all about.. it certainly didn't look like a park.
Well, I got a little adventurous one day and decided to take Cade to see what this park was all about. We walked a little while and it led us to a shallow place on the Harpeth with lots of rocks.
We ended up spending about 40 minutes down there. Cade threw small and big rocks, but he kept wanting to pick up the bigger rocks of course. We walked down the river some as well and continued our fun. I tried to perfect my "skipping rocks" skills, but could only get two skips.
I decided the next time we would visit the river we would ask Cade's buddies next door-Caleb and Ace. He absolutely adores the two of them and loves being with them. Jennifer was the wise one and brought along her camera to take some of these pics.
Love them! They definitely had fun at the Harpeth!
Sometimes I wonder if God made rivers, creeks, and other types of water, not just for our pleasure as adults to gaze at His beauty, but for little boys who just want to have fun throwing rocks. Thank you Lord for these small wonders that bring so much pleasure to children!

Making our house a Home

During the summer Chris really only has about 2 weeks off. He has football workouts every morning and then it all begins the second week of July, so we spend one of those weeks at the beach as you saw in my previous post. The second week we both decided we wanted to do some things to the house. We have been in our house a year and still had not decorated our walls. There were just a few extra things we wanted to do. The first thing we did was paint our bathroom. I love the color! We replaced the old brass light fixtures in our bedroom and bathroom. That made a huge difference. Chris was trying to be such a handy man-I do have to give him props-he tried to install our vanity light for about 4 hours and finally had to ask someone to come do it. He really tried and was so mad he couldn't get it to work. He kept saying, "nothing can be easy, can it?" I tried to hold my tongue and encourage, but he kept pressing hard to get it done. (btw, it took our friend 10 minutes to install the light..hee-hee)

Anyway, the next day my friend and I took an excursion to Old Time Pottery! Wow, love that store. We found many things for our walls, many prints, and many canvas prints. I absolutely loved everything she picked out!! She not only picked out some beautiful pieces, but she helped me place them in our living room and bathroom once we got home! So thankful that a decorator lives next door and a great friend as well!!

I am so blessed to have this wonderful home the Lord gave to us and thankful that it now feels like a home as well!!

Seagrove Beach

Something we look forward to every year is our time at the beach with our family. This year we traveled back to Seagrove Beach, Florida. We have been making these annual trips since I was in highschool, and it Never gets old! We love it!!
Cade had a great time this year, but hated getting "messy" as he would call it.. meaning sand on his hands and feet. He had to wipe them off each time he got sand on them..ugh!
Each day we would head down to the beach in the morning and spend a few hours and return for lunch. The week we were there happened to be the hottest week in Florida so far.. one day, the heat index was 111. So hot! We kept the kids under the tent most of the time and in the kiddie pool.
Cade was not so sure about the ocean. He loved watching everyone get in, but wasn't so sure about the big body of water in front of him. The last day of our vacation, he finally decided to get in the raft with Chris and I and he didn't want to come in all day! He had so much fun in the water. He kept saying the "water going up and down, that's funny."
At night Chris and "Papa" would take the kids to catch crabs. This was a highlight of the trip for Cade. Nana bought him a net and all he would talk about during the day was catching crabs. It was a blast!
We are so thankful to be able to spend time with our extended family every summer. Thank you Nana and Papa for our trip to the beach! Can't wait until next year!

Growing up....

paci is gone!











beating mommy at chuck e cheese














shooting hoops with daddy..he's a lefty!





So this was a very big week in the Brian household. We knew coming back from Texas that we had some work to do with Cade-potty training and getting rid of the paci. I was not looking forward to either one, but was very surprised by our big boy! Last week we began potty training and Cade did great. He has always been one who hates a mess, so everytime he had an accident, he hated it because he hated being wet! Awesome! So from then on, he used the potty every time he felt his "pee-pee coming." That is what he tells us now. So cute and he has done great! Chris decided that he was going to take Cade to Chuck E Cheeses if he pooped in the potty. We both knew that it might take a while for him to do that, but Cade had other plans. It took him one day to poop in the potty and he is on the road to being completely potty trained. NO, we are not taking him to Chuck E Cheeses every time he poops, but I did assemble a surprise box filled with little things from the Dollar store and that has worked pretty well. (thanks Jennifer for the idea)

The other agenda for the summer was Operation Paci...getting rid of our lifesaver. Man, I think this one was more hard for Chris and I than for Cade. It took one day of sleeping without it and paci was gone forever. I thought it would be alot harder, but once again Cade amazed us. He has not even asked for it and is so proud that he tells everyone he doesn't have his paci anymore.

All of this is wonderful, but I was somewhat sad that this all ocurred so quickly. My little boy is no longer a little boy and he is growing up so fast. Tears come to my eyes when I think that I no longer will be changing his diapers or seeing him sleep with his paci. Don't get me wrong, so thankful for not having to buy pullups anymore, but a little sad..

I know this is all part of life and I am so thankful the Lord gave us a healthy little boy who loves playing cars, riding his truck, throwing the frisbee, playing golf, wrestling-W.W.E. style, and many other things. We are so proud of you Cade and all that you have accomplished this week! You are so grown!! We love you!!

Texas-Part IV

Whenever we travel to Texas we get to stay with Chris' grandmother-his Nana. It is always a special time for us as we visit with her and listen to her love for the Lord. I thoroughly enjoy it! She has so much wisdom and she is definitely one after God's own heart. She lives alone since the passing of her husband several years ago, which happened to be the same date of Cade's birth. She is an intercessory prayer warrior and I know that she fervently seeks the Lord's face and listens to His still small voice. Chris and I both envelop her wisdom each time we visit her. The Lord's face does shine upon her daily and she exemplifies consistency in her walk with Christ.

One challenge we do face is what Cade call's her. He has a Nana, Grandma, Mamaw, and for some reason he thinks he has a MeME, so we decided that he would call her "GiGi" for great grandma. He called her everything but GiGi most of the time, but he loves his "GiGi."
Every morning when Cade would wake up she would take him to get the mail, and then they would eat their breakfast on the deck while they watched the birds. He loved this!! Every morning, if she wasn't there when he woke, he would ask where GiGi was. He loved spending his mornings with her and he loved watching the birds, especially the hummingbirds! Thank you GiGi for allowing us to spend the week with you!

Cade also enjoyed playing with Grandpa-Chris' dad. Everytime he saw him he wanted him to play cars or wrestle..of course. He loved playing at Grandpa's house and jumping on the trampoline, playing with Darby and Emily, and hitting the golf balls at the driving range. He must get his love of golf from Grandpa!
We loved our trip to Texas this year and we can't wait to go back next summer! It was a blast!

Texas-Part III

One of the neatest places at the zoo was an area called "Tiny Tot Adventure." This was a neat area that had a small creek that was ankle deep and beach sand surrounding it for kids to play in. Cade and his cousin Neveah loved this area and we spent alot of time there.. it was so neat to see the both of them play.
Cade has always been fascinated with trains..I know that it is probably a stage he is going through, but he absolutely loves them. We have taken him to see and ride on Thomas the Train, so when I found out that there was a train that travels outside of the zoo, I knew he was going to be so excited! We happened to see the train before entering the zoo, which made our viewing the animals go rather quickly. He kept saying "want to ride the choo-choo" the whole time we were in the zoo.
Grandma bought our tickets and we waited for the train to arrive. Cade could not wait. He sat in the train station, eyes glued waiting for the train to arrive. When it was time to board we took a quick pic with the conductor and Cade's smile was priceless! He rode with Grandma and cousin Neveah and I am so happy Leah got it on camera. We went over a bridge and through a tunnel, and through the forest. It was all he could talk about for hours! So thankful that we are able to share these precious moments with family!

Not worthy, but HIS

Texas-Part II

One of the best times had by Cade was our visit to the San Antonio Zoo. It is ranked in the top 10 in PARENTS magazine and well worth the ranking. We were so thankful to SEE all the animals, unlike our zoo here in Nashville where they just hang out in the back or they are asleep. Cade's grandma treated all of us. We went with Chris' brother's family, and Chris' best friend from high school and his family. It was so much fun.
We were so amazed at how close the animals were to us. Cade wanted to see the elephants and the fishes. He was really into the movie "Nemo" on this trip, so we visited them while at the zoo.. Dori too! He loved that part.
One of the new exhibits at the zoo was the African exhibit, as we entered there were two- what I thought- big rocks, but happened to be massive Nile hippos. I included the pic, but only got the picture of their backsides...go figure... not great at picture taking.
We also enjoyed feeding the fish.. although the ducks in the pond were quicker to the food..which was making me mad. Fish have to eat too! Cade was so funny, remember he had been watching Nemo this entire trip in the car, so he said "fish are our friends, not food"-the exact quote from the movie! He cracks me up!
Cade enjoyed his time at the zoo, but could not wait to ride the train outside the park with mommy, daddy, grandma, and cousin Nevaeh. More to come on that!

Not worthy, but HIS

Texas-Part I

The first part of our trip to Texas included getting together with Chris's dads side of the family. We usually try to do this every summer while we are there. It is great time visiting with family we haven't seen in about a year. This time we went to Uncle Russ and Aunt Millie's new home(which was gorgeous). They sold their lake house about a year ago to move closer to their new grandbaby..who by the way just turned 2 and is adorable. The kids swam and I happened to get a few pics of Cade posing in the pool..so funny. It was a fun time to catch up and see everyone...
We also spent some time at Grandpa and Grandma Donna's pool. It took him a while to warm up to the pool, but he eventually got in and loved it as you can tell by the picture. (posing again in the pool.. watch out David Beckham!)

Not worthy, but HIS