baylor homecoming 2017...

This weekend we continued a 30+ year tradition of watching the Baylor Homecoming Parade!  Marley was so excited!  She couldn't wait to wear her cheerleading outfit!

We always watch from where the parade starts so we get to see them lining up and getting ready.  There happened to be a bunch of newspaper photographers standing across the street from us waiting for the parade to start.  I heard Marley hollering, "Hey! Hey!".  I asked her what she was doing and she said, "I want them to take my picture!" and off she went!  She marched her little self across the street straight up to them and said, "I need you to take my picture."  They all kind of chuckled and obliged!  I was dying!  She was posing and everything!  I went over to apologize, but they were so sweet and even told me they would send the picture to me.

Anyone that has met my child is not surprised by this at all!

The best part...seeing Marley's excitement about everything!

Waiting patiently!

 

A great beginning!

When did he get a girlfriend?!

Of course she meet a friend that showed her all the tricks!

 

I love these two!

And this is how she ends every parade...

We even got to see some very sweet friends we hadn't seen in way too long!

Sic'em Bears!

state fair fun...

It's kind of become a tradition for us to go to the State Fair of Texas and every year gets more and more fun!

We always start with a ride on the DART (which lends itself to great people watching!).

 

 This year we really wanted to ride the ferris wheel as that is something none of us had every done.  We went straight there and ended up being the first people on the ferris wheel that day!  The view was spectacular and Marley, fearless as usual, loved looking down at all the sights and trying to spot Big Tex!

Waiting...impatiently, for the ferris wheel!

Looking for Big Tex!

As a mom, my new favorite part of the fair is living it through Marley's excitement.  She has no fear so couldn't wait to get on all the rides!  Her smile and laughter made my day!

We of course also ate our way through the fair as well!  Marley and Adam enjoyed a footlong corny dog...and yes, she just about ate the whole thing by herself, and I thoroughly enjoyed my funnel cake.

We can't wait for next year!

family 5k...

This past weekend we got to participate as a family in the Outrun Homelessness 5K with our church.  We love that our church is part of such a great cause and that we finally were all in town to participate.

Marley and I did the Fun Run.  On the last stretch Marley begged to run so I let her out of the stroller and she ran the last 50 yards or so to the finish line.  She was so cute!  Her friends and Sunday School teachers were cheering her on as she crossed the finish line and got her medal.  She was so extremely proud of herself.  She ran up to her friend Taylor and grabbed her by the shoulder and said, "Taylor, I've got to tell you something!  I won the race!  I got the medal!"

Pre-run stretching

Marley's sprint to the finish!

Sweet Marley and Taylor!

"Taylor, I won!"

Next was Adam's turn.  He ran the 5K and came in 1st place for her age division.  Marley was so excited to wait for him and cheer him on at the finish line!

Adam's 1st place finish!

We stayed for a while after and Marley had her face painted and ran crazy on the bounce courses with her friends Gavin and Taylor.

Of course on the way out we had a crying butterfly with paint streaming down her face all the way to the car.  

In the end we had a blast and got to be part of a great cause helping our community!

balloons to heaven...

Sammy passed away March 13, 2017...nearly 5 months ago and not one day has gone by that Marley hasn't asked about her.  We talk about her being in heaven and how she is there living with Jesus.  
Marley had not cried about Sammy until today.
Marley had gotten a balloon from the dentist this morning and as we were getting in the car it got away and we watched it float up into the sky.  On the way home Marley asked again about Sammy and if she played in heaven with Jesus.  Then she said that her balloon floated to heaven to her.  I told her that I thought Sammy would love that and when I looked back at her she began bawling.  
It was all I could do to not pull the car over and scoop her up and cry with her.  
We've been very honest with her about Sammy, yet I think it just took all this time to sink in that she's not ever coming back.  For the longest time she said that everyone in heaven was healed so she would be coming back when she felt better.
One of my favorite things about Marley is that I know her "wheels" are constantly turning and she loves to ask questions about everything around her...not simple questions; yet deep, thought out, questions.  I love how aware she is of the world around her and even beyond and how inquisitive she is.
Adam and I always dreamed Sammy would live long enough for our child to get to know her and remember her.  With that though, comes the pain that she would not always be with us.  I explained to Marley that Sammy would always live in our heart and one day we would see her again in heaven.
So for now...we will send balloons to her...