Tomorrow is the start of the CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN!

Will wanted to inform you that tomorrow definitely kicks off the Christmas countdown! Whoa, that is so scary. Really, I just wanted to post this adorable little picture of my little Christmas elf! This sweet picture was taken my Elaine at A Private Gathering. She takes great pictures and is quite reasonable! Merry Christmas!

ThanksLiving

I chose this as the title for my blog entry because it was the Sermon that the preacher at Bethesda Presbyterian Church taught last week and I really found it to be quite appropriate for this time off year and for my life at the present moment. I haven't blogged in a while, and I found myself missing it like an old friend you keep meaning to call, but just keep putting it off. So, here I am! I like everyone, am scurring around trying to find "just the right present, for just the right price", decide if I want to put up my tree, since we (knock on wood) are closing the week after Christmas, and just in general, am wrapped up the hustle and bustle of this busy season. So, that is why I found this message to be appropriate and welcomed! Basically, the short of the sermon was that... It’s easy to be grateful around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. But what if we were able to find ourselves feeling grateful year round? What that might change about your life? So, as hard as that will be during this season, I intend to embrace that thought and attitude and hopefully this season and the coming year will be even more joyful! Will has been so busy. He is taking steps everywhere, but he just can't get the whole balance thing down, however, the talking thing, well, he is a Major Chatterbox!!! I love it though, it is so cute! He is really enjoying the tree at Nonnie's house (I know, I am putting up some sort of tree). I love seeing him look at the tree and point and say "Ights"(lights), he does it everytime, like it is the first time he has ever seen it. I tried to take some pictures of him tonight in front of my mom's tree, but the busier he gets, the harder it is to capture a decent picture!
We are frantically trying to finish our house before January 3rd, so I will post some pictures of the house progress soon!

Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was wonderful. Our's sure was and wow, we all have so much to be thankful for. The Lord always gives us more than we could ever deserve! Be blessed!
Amanda

I just wanted to say how incredibly blessed and thankful I feel today! Today is my 27th birthday and I feel like God has blessed me with so much. Instead of dreading aging each year, I will look to it with fondness and excitement, because so far these are the greatest days of my life!!! Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and a blessed day!

Will's 1st Birthday Party

We had Will's 1st Birthday Party on Saturday at "The Pilkinton Farm" aka, our new home, aka, construction zone! It was a Barnyard Theme, perfect for our new home!!! We had so much fun. After two weeks of praying that the weather would be nice, party planning, and running around like a crazy woman...the day finally arrived. I wish I could say it was a quaint and quiet affair, but we had 50 guests, which included our family, closest friends, and Will's little play group friends. Having the party at our new house was Jesse's idea and I must admit at first, I thought he was kind of crazy, however, it was a great time!!!We had a bonfire down at the barn by our house, where we roasted hot dogs and just hung out. Nathan brought his four wheeler and pulled a wagon and took the children on a hayride. It was actually quite fun. After the fire and the ride, we all headed up to our new house, which is not completed yet, for cake and ice cream! The cake was so fun and Will had the best time smashing it in his face. He actually cried when I took it away from him!!! He received so many nice things and is a really blessed little birthday boy! Now, on to planning the second birthday!!

Happy Birthday Will

Today is Will's 1st Birthday! Jesse and I took him to breakfast this morning, where he tried eggs for the first time. He wasn't very impressed. He did love the pancakes though! We are so thankful for our little man and love him so much. Hope you enjoy these birthday pics. I will post more when we celebrate with the cake!
Amanda

My Baby Boy and Me

My Baby Boy and Me

It's three AM, they're all asleep,
and no-one's here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.

His little hand is feather light
Tucked up against my chin.
I hold his tiny hand in mine,
and stroke his baby skin.

The house about us creaks and groans,
The clock hands creep around.
He snuggles closer to me still,
And makes his baby sounds.

I love these quiet hours so much,
And cherish every one.
Store memories up inside my heart
For lonely nights to come.

All too soon he'll be grown up,
His need for mama gone.
But until then I still have time
For kisses and for song.

Time for quiet hours like this
With him cuddled in my arms,
Where I wish he'd always stay
Protected, safe and warm.

And yet I know the day will come
When his tiny little hand,
will be bigger than my own.
He'll grow to be a man.

But until then he's mine to love
With no one here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.

...Author Unknown

I have just rocked Will to bed, a little early birthday treat for the both of us, and I am flooded with memories of the fastest year of my life. I was talking to Jesse on the way home from my parent's house tonight and we were thinking back to one year ago today. I can't help but become teary eyed when I think about this night last year. I was preparing to enter the hospital the next morning to meet my future son or daughter. I was trying to fall asleep while imagining what he or she might look like. I was praying for the child's safety and for wisdom as we all begin this journey. So, how can it be that it is one year later and I am the mother of this perfect little boy who has touched my life so that it may never be the same?

Will, here are a few of my memories from this past year...I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!!!

*Daddy wearing a blue shirt to the hospital for your birth...he said he just knew you were a boy.

*The doctor saying "It's a boy" and seeing your beautiful and perfect face.

*The nights I spent rocking you and learning what it truly means to love something more than yourself.

*The first time you actually saw my face and smiled at me.

*The snuggles and the times spent feeding you and just holding you in my arms.

*The way your face lights up when you see your Daddy and the way you laugh because he is so silly!

*Your silly face you made the first time you tasted rice cereal! You hated it!!!

*The first time you crawled and how you love to crawl the stairs, even though it scares Mommy to death.

*Hearing you say Momma and Daddy for the first time, and how beautiful your voice was.

* Watching you cruise around and trying to walk.

*Seeing the childlike wonder on your face when you see something new.


Will,
Mommy and Daddy love you so much. We are so happy God gave us such a sweet boy to love and take care of. You are the child we prayed for and we thank God everyday for loaning you to us. We promise to love you and raise you to love Him. You have made our hearts grow bigger than we ever imagined. We love you more than you will ever know(well, at least until you become a parent.) You will always be our special first child. Happy First Birthday, Will!!!!

Two Trick or Treats and One Huge Defeat!!!

Sorry, faithful followers! I know that it has been a while since I posted but Will has been a really busy boy!!! We have had an eventful past few days...well actually it has been an eventful week and a half. Pumpkinfest was the kick off to Halloween. Will, Nonnie, and me decided to brave the thousands people walking around downtown Franklin dressed as the latest Superheros and Princess' to score a few adorable pictures of Will for his scrapbook. The weather was fabulous and Will had a ball. I was so surprised that he tolerated the costume so well and he even kept the hat on the whole time...thanks to a little bribing from Nonnie's sweet tea! He was so excited and just kept looking around. We stopped by the BGA tent to get a balloon, which Will loved! Who knows, maybe a future Wildcat? We also saw Will's friend Gracey at Pumpkinfest. She was as adorable as ever in her butterfly costume! They both entered the costume contest and we had fun parading them across the stage, more photo opportunities!!! All in all, Pumpkinfest was a success and great fun.

Pumpkinfest was followed by Halloween night! Will went trick or treating to my Grandparent's House...another photo op! He looked so adorable and had such a good time. My mom made me a matching Goldilocks costume, so we were quite the pair. Jesse was out of town, so he caught the play by play on the camera phone! We missed Dad and we are going to make sure he is off from work next year! Will had his second sucker that night and wow, was it so messy!!! He enjoyed it so much that he would not let go of it and he cried when I took it away!!! However, all the sugar didn't keep him up to late, my little pumpkin was in bed and fast asleep by 7:45!

Will went to Knoxville this weekend to visit his Aunt Jen Jen! It was Homecoming and my family traveled to see my sister, the Homecoming events, and the Game! We had so much fun! Will loved the parade and he even got to meet Smokey, the mascot...not the really Smokey:). He was laughing at Smokey and leaned in to hug him just as Smokey leaned in for the picutre and Smokey's nose bumped his head and he started crying, so that is why he has red eyes in the picture! He was so good at the game and HE LOVED THE BAND!!! I kept clapping his hands and bouncing up and down. It was so funny. Who knows, maybe we have a future Pride of the Southland marching band member on our hands! The game was great and UT beat Louisana Lafayette, so all in all it was a super weekend!!!We are now home safely and just waiting on Jesse to get home so we can spend a little quality family time. Hope you enjoy the pictures and I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween!!!