Six Months

I can't believe my baby is six months old. It is so much fun watching her grow and learn. She is sitting up almost entirely by herself. I'm told that once they can sit up, crawling is not far away; time to baby proof. She is kind of a CHUNK. At her last doctor's appointment she was 78th percentile in height and 84th percentile in weight. She has become so playful and is amused by some really random things. For example, once Mommy told her to put her arms up (so that I could remove her shirt and get her in her PJs) and demonstrated by straightening my arms and lifting my hands above my head. She thought that was the most hilarious thing she had ever seen. Needless to say, Mommy spent the next ten minutes throwing her hands up in the air just to hear the sweet sounds of Clara's laughter. She has also learned to press her lips together and make motor-boat noises (I think Mamaw taught her that). It is pretty funny to watch and Clara really likes it when someone does it back to her . . . I need to get that one on video tape.Still no teeth

House Hunting

This post is about three weeks overdue. We are buying a house!!! The second week of April we took a girls trip (My mother, Clara, and myself) to Indianapolis to begin the search. I was set up with a realtor who I really like and who seems to really know his stuff; he is also an expert in purchasing HUD homes (homes that have been forclosed on). We looked at homes for two full days; poor Clara was so good. I was so grateful to have Mamaw there to help with her, otherwise I'm not sure what I would have done! Anyway I found a few that I liked and placed bids and one was accepted! We are still waiting for HUD to sign their portion of the contract - why is everything government-run (with a few exceptions) so inefficient?! - but as soon as they do we will be on our way. Here is a picture of Mamaw and Clara playing in the mirror of our hotel room - Clara likes mirrors. By the end of this trip these two were best buddies.

Happy Easter

On this beautiful Easter Sunday, my heart is filled with gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ. When I think of how dearly I love my sweet daughter, I understand better (though not fully) how dearly our Heavenly Father and Savior love us . . . love me. I am grateful for the special experiences, such as parenthood, that make up mortality and the promise that those family bonds can continue beyond the grave. I know that this plan of salvation is made possible through the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Happy Easter.Again, some of my favorite pictures are the ones that didn't quite turn out the way you intended . . .