Easter in Dothan

We went to Dothan for Easter. While it wasn't the same because a huge part of all of our hearts was missing, I was reminded just how blessed I was to have Sam for 32 years. I have the most precious Easter memories of hunting eggs in Juleann and Sam's beautiful, sprawling yard after a traditional, special Easter lunch prepared by Juleann. This year it was a little surreal. I felt his presence everywhere... at church, at my parent's house sitting around the dinner table, Easter lunch when we said the blessing, and obviously everywhere in their home. As eery or crazy as it may sound, in many ways it felt like he was with us and for that I am very grateful. I could even imagine him saying, "Hi darling, I love you. Come see me soon." Just as he did for me, Julie, and Douglas year after year after year, we had a big Easter egg hunt in his front yard for William. I know he was smiling down from heaven as William giggled while darting through his yard searching for eggs. I never pulled out my big camera but here are some pictures from our lenten season :)

 Overton Park Easter egg hunt

 Sunday school Easter egg hunt

 Last preschool egg hunt. William and his 4K teacher, Mrs. Lindsey. 

 Baby Madison!

 Charlotte is very obsessed with Madison. Swoon. 

 Dothan Country Club Easter egg hunt

 And bunny trauma...

 Visiting Madison's new house and playground

 Easter morning. William kindly obliged to staying in the nursery with Charlotte instead of going to church with the grown ups. 

 I love the way Madison is looking at Charlotte in this picture. 

 I snapped a couple of pictures of Juleann's beautiful Easter decorations. She also had precious Easter baskets for all her great grand babies. 

As William says, "The tomb is empty. He arose!"

Charlotte's 2nd Birthday Party

We planned a low key park birthday party for Charlotte since we had our house on the market and were in the middle of looking for a new home. Well, the weather had other plans, so we ended up moving the party to our house the day of the party. Charlotte had such a wonderful time playing with all of her school friends and her best family friends.

 Charlotte's favorite part of her b'day weekend was having Uncle Doug, Aunt Katie, and "Mah-ison" stay with us. She loves baby Madison!

Charlotte, Collins, and Livy (school besties)

Happy 2nd Birthday Charlotte!

My best girl is two and I can hardly believe it. She has brought so much joy, laughter, pure sweetness and sunshine to our family and we are so thankful she is ours. She is full of personality at two years old and keeps us all on our toes! She's a climber and we constantly catch her standing on the kitchen table hanging from the chandelier, standing in the dishwasher chunking dirty dishes out, or crawling on the coffee table to show off her latest dance moves. She is full of hugs and kisses and absolutely loves blowing kisses to anyone and everyone she sees. Our favorite thing she says is "ah-k" (okay).

Her favorite thing to do is name all of the children in her class in her precious, sweet little speech impediment voice. I've got to record her saying "Cah-yeens (Collins), Ah-yever (Oliver), Cahrsie (Carson), Merwy (Mary Chandler), Hah-nah (Hannah) and Wivy (Livy). She will repeat them over and over and try to give you a daily behavior report on each of them. She absolutely LOVES school. She screams on the mornings she stays home with me because she wants to go to school with Daddy and William. Grant takes them to school each day and I pick up. 

I hope I can engrain this sweet, innocent profile in my mind forever. 

She is proving to be a picky eater like her big brother (insert major eye roll). She still likes baby food pouches, spaghetti, and tacos. Her teachers swear she is a good eater at school, even eating green beans?!, but I have a hard time believing that.

 At school they refer to her as the "little momma" because she is very nurturing and in tune to the other children when they are upset. She will get their pacifiers or lovey from their cubby if they're crying and say "it's ah-k." She is the oldest child in her class and will move up to Toddler 2 in May. 

She goes to sleep around 6:45-7pm and usually wakes up around 6am. She takes a 2 hour nap from 12-2 usually. She loves her bubba, Mommy and Daddy and pretty much runs our household. We all tip toe around her when she is in one of her toddler moods. I can only imagine it's foreshadowing what our house will be like in 13 years.

Charlotte and I love going to story time at the library every Tuesday morning together. I miss William going with us but I've let him skip school several times to come with us even though he says it's "babyish". Charlotte, you are pure sunshine and we love our precious, beautiful TWO year old so much!