Wordless Wednesday.

Courageous.

This past weekend, David and I had the amazing, opportunity to attend the movie premiere and red carpet event for the movie, Courageous, put on by Sherwood pictures.  Our good friends, the Baileys, are on staff at the church, so they invited us to attend this once and a life time event.  We had so much fun!  I told my mom it was like a fairytale, only the real thing!  We got to walk on the red carpet, have our picture taken in front of the Courageous back drop, and watch the premiere of the movie at the Fabulous Fox theater, what a perfect date.  Thank you, Jonathan and Tiffany, for inviting us to attend this spectacular event with you.  

David and me in front of the Courageous back drop. 

Mark Hall from Casting Crowns was there, so I shamelessly snapped a picture. It may or may not have embarrassed my date.  

Most of the cast from the movie.  It was so neat to see them after the premiere.  

This picture is mainly for my mom, ha!  I wanted her to see more of my dress.  Thank you, T, for helping us to look fancy!

What a treat!  After the show, we ran into our friends the Stricklens.  David and Chris were in the MIR program at First Atlanta, so we loved getting to hug their necks and catch up for a minute.
Okay, so the purpose of this blog post is two-fold.  I, of course, never want to forget this amazing night with my love, but at the end of the movie, the audience was charged or deputized (as they called it) with the task to share the movie and to promote the movie.  I really don't think this movie needs much help.  I think it is going to create waves all over the world, and I'm excited to watch it happen.  But, I did want to share a few of my thoughts, not they are worth much.  After seeing the movie, three big things stuck with me.  Don't worry, I am not going to spoil anything.  First, it made me so very thankful that God chose David to be my husband and the father of my children.  Wow.  I am blessed, and so are they.  I mean really blessed.  He is a great daddy and husband, the best I've ever seen.  I'm so thankful to do this whole parenting thing with him.  Second, but definitely not less important, it made me realize with thanks and humility God's hand on my life.  Without airing too much dirty laundry on my blog, but at the same time making myself transparent, I grew up with an absent father.  He left when my sister and I were young, and never really looked back.  Now that I'm a parent myself, I don't really know how that happens, but that's not my point.  Throughout the movie, strong and sobering statistics are quoted about what happens to children who grow up without a dad, and it's not good, people.  It's sad, and it's real.  And by the grace of God and a super cool mom, I'm not one of those statistics quoted, and I'm really thankful and humbled.  Which brings me to my third point, I'm super thankful for my mom.  I don't know how she raised my sister and me alone, and I hope I never have to walk in those shoes, but I'm eternally grateful that because of her there was never a time in my life when I didn't hear the name of Jesus.  And that changed my life.  So, friends, go see the movie.  Take your spouse out on a date, and go see it.  If you are single, go see it.  If you are a grandparent, go see it.  If you've never had children of your own, go see it.  And then pray that God would, through this movie, move in a powerful way to touch the hearts of dads across the world, so that those statistics don't become any greater.  Just in case you need any more convincing to go see this movie, here is the movie trailer downloaded from youtube.  

Ballerina girls.

Summer and Tilly began their ballet classes at school last week, and they could not have been more excited.  For the first few weeks of class, they ask the parents to get the girls dressed and accompany them to the dance room.  Picture this, me up to my eyeballs in leotards, tutus, ballet shoes, and trying to keep Story from running out the bathroom door; it was a riot!  Somehow, with a lot of grace, I managed to get both girls dressed and over to the room on time.  I even managed to snap a few pictures of them before classes began.  It was a good day!

 When do girls learn to do the side head tilt thing?

 I guess from watching their older sister, ha!

 Sisters.  Love.  

The smushed cheek pose, my favorite.  I love you, my little ballerina girls.  

Guess what today is?

It's the day my two oldest girlies get to wear their dancing shoes and leotards and tights.  And they couldn't be more excited about it if they tried.  Last night, we bought their ballet shoes, and I just had to snap a picture because I know all too well their toes won't stay this little for long.  

Summer and Tilly, I hope you love your new ballet class.  

I can't wait to watch you dance! 

Story's 15 month stats.

Today, I took Story for her 15 month check up. We saw Nurse M this time, and she was so very kind and encouraging. She, too, has a 15 month old, so she was completely able to relate to this season of life.  

Story weighs 21 pounds, placing her in the 30th percentile.  She continues to drop in her weight, and at this point we are not alarmed, but definitely watchful.  It seems that Story may be strong willed like one of her older sisters, though we won't name any names since her sister's name means "strong in battle" and all.  We have a hard time getting her to eat.  Nurse M explained that at this age there are so few things children have control over that they often choose to control their food intake.  She also recommended we put Story on a multi-vitamin.  She recommended the Kroger brand of gummi vitamins because after having tried most of them, she believes they are the easiest to chew.  Sign us up!  Story is following suit with her big brother and sisters in her height.  She is 32 inches, placing her in the 90th percentile.  So, maybe she will just be tall and skinny!  I can think of worse things for sure, ha! She is also following in line with having what we call "the big O'Dell head."  Her head circumference is 18 1/2 inches, placing her in the 85-90%.  Overall, she looks great, and we are thankful!

This handsome fella tagged along with us.  He missed school today because he was not feeling so great this morning, and we didn't want to take any chances with him spreading some love to his classmates.  Carter was such a sweet helper, and I was so proud of his behavior while Story was being examined.  He was so worried about her getting shots!  Or, maybe he was thankful it was her and not him!

I love this sweet picture of my Story girl walking around the doctor's office wearing my bracelets and not much else, so sweet.  

Tilly is 3!

Happy 3rd birthday, Tilly!  I cannot belive how quickly these last three years of your life have gone by.  You are so busy and so much fun!  It seems like just yesterday, we were celebrating your birthday with T at Mimis'.  

We have done so many fun things over the last year.  

You got your very first hair cut with Miss Lou just before school started at Heiskell.  

You spent lots of time playing with your best buddies, Carter and Summer. 

We spent many Saturdays at the park watching Carter play soccer for the first time.  

This was your very first day of school.  You were in Miss Page's Builder Class at the Heiskell School.  

We traveled to Tennessee to see our friends the Wryes, where Daddy preached their Homecoming service.  You had fun in the hotel room with mommy's curlers.  

We went to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin, or 6 pumpkins!

We traveled to New Orleans (the city of your namesake) for the very first time while Daddy defended his doctoral project.  

You loved some beignets from Cafe du Monde.  

We celebrated fall with a festival at our church.  You were such a happy little butterfly!

You spent lots of time playing with your new baby sister.  

We hosted and cooked our very first Thanksgiving dinner.  Papa and Gigi came to visit.  

We went to Lowe's the day after Thanksgiving to get our Christmas tree.  

Papa and Gigi came to church with us.  

We rode the famous pink pig!

You got your two year molars.  

We took Christmas pictures at church.  Love that sweet smile.  

We had our Christmas program at school.  You spent most of the program on Mrs. Heiskell's lap.  What a sweet picture of you with the founders of your very first school!

Daddy graduated with his doctorate from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary!

Christmas morning, 2010.  We had to wake you up, can't you tell?

We got our first snow of the New Year, and we missed an entire week of school!

About mid-way through snow week, Mommy had to get creative!

We got to meet the original Brooke at the Atlanta airport as she was passing through!  I love this picture of the two of you!  Pure joy!

You celebrated Valentine's Day at school.  Daddy helped to host the party in your class, and he read a book to you and your friends.  

We had several picnics in the park.  

I have so many pictures of you "helping" Story eat.  

Spring break, we traveled to Arkanas, to spend time with Papa and Gigi.  This was your favorite place to be, still is when we are with them.  

I have no idea what we were doing here.  Maybe celebrating Mardi Gras?  Maybe singing the "Itsy, Bitsy Spider?" I just love how cute you look here.  

I took this picture during Muffins with Mommy in your class.  This is your sweet friend, Paige, whom you have talked about all summer long!  You are so going to miss her when we don't return to Heiskell this year.  

In March, we ran in the Spring Chicken Run in Powder Springs.  

A sweet picture of the fab four after church.  

Easter weekend, we traveled to south GA, to see Mama.  

We went to an Easter egg hunt at her church.  I love this picture of the two of you.  

Easter Sunday, 2011.  

Mother's Day after church.  Oh, how thankful I am for the four of you.  

We had many family date nights.  

Many nights on our way to bed, your daddy and I found you in the bed with Story.  

We celebrated Carter's birthday at Moe's.  You sure do love your daddy.  

This summer, we spent many days at Miss Pat's pool.  You have no fear in the water!

We planted and harvested our garden.  

In June, we traveled to Grayton Beach with Papa and Gigi.  You loved it!

One evening, Ken Rada took our family pictures on the beach.  This is one of my favorite pictures of you.  

Being home this summer, we had "mommy boot camp."  We ran laps around the garden and did jump n jacks!

We made pretty pictures for when Daddy would come home from work.  

In July, we traveled to Arkansas, while Carter and Daddy were in Wyoming.  We celebrated yours and Summer's birthdays.  You love your new Ariel doll.  

We painted our fingers and toes.  

And we spent lots of time in the pool.  

We almost escaped the summer without any injuries or sickness, until Mommy spilled hot oatmeal all over the kitchen, and you, and Summer.  It burned your little fingers, but thankfully you are healing just fine.  

This is one of my most favorite pictures of the four of you. Look at those sweet faces and happy smiles.  

Happy 3rd birthday, Tilly! 

We have not been to see Dr. G yet, so we don't know your stats.  You are such a bright little thing, with more energy than I can understand.  You make the funniest faces, and you say the most fantastic things!  Most every day, your daddy and I shake our heads at you, mostly because you have said something far beyond your years or you've made this face that we can't explain!  Everyone thinks you are just the cutest thing, and you are.  We just pray that your cuteness will come from within and that you will have a sweet heart, one that desires to obey and to follow hard after the Lord.  We pray that the One who knit you together in my womb, will rescue you at an early age and use you for His glory for your entire life.  We love you so much, our Tilly girl!