Zoie's 1st VBS!

Zoie's very 1st Vacation Bible School was a success! I thought at 17 months old she was ready to go and have fun! She attended her first VBS at Batley Missionary Baptist Church were we have been visiting for some time. We are just in love with that church. They offer so much for the youth. They have a wonderful youth and young adult programs. We have meet some wonderful new people and great friends. The church is just perfect....so far. Wonderful spirit, amazing singing and the preaching is just great! We can not wait to see what God has in plan for us! Zoie was in the nursery class. Pretty much 1 and 2 year olds. There were only about 5 girls in her class each night. Most of the little boys are newborn or over 3, so Zoie and the other girls made up the Nursery class this year. VBS this year at Batley started on Sunday night and ended with commencement on Thursday evening with church service and then dinner. Each night, I would take her to her class and immendiatly she gave a hug to her teachers and went and played with the other girls. She is so friendly and outgoing, loved being silly with the other girls too. They were a hit. Always laughing and screaming during the songs and dances. Each night they had food, treats, skits, music, dances, and of course Bible study for each class and age groups. They also had an Underground Church down stairs which was really cool! Zoie's class had 5 girls, they were all toddlers so they had to have an adult for each one of them. Those teachers definitly had their hands full. That's always a tough class. Zoie seemed like to be the most "on-the-go", which I knew that they would always have to watch her. Of course during the songs and dances, Zoie always seemed to find her way roaming around the stage, in the choir and messing with the piano, instruments and the electrical equipment of course. She did really well though, I was suprised! She got really involved and participated in all the music. She just clapped her hands, raised her arms, and just screamed and laughed the entire time. She made everyone smile! It was such a joy watching her there up on the stage and in her class, learning about Jesus and praising Him. Even at a year and a half years old, she had more joy in the music than other kids 10 times her age. It was one of the first life experiences she had. Me and Zack, just sitting there, watching her be part of something, something very important. I know she will never remember her first VBS, but she will always know that she was there, that she participated and that she loved being at Church. Isn't that our job, as parents, as Christians to raise them this way. To prepare them, teach them, let the grow in wisdom, that one day they will be saved! It was such a joy watching my daughter experience VBS. Can't wait to see her grow in Church and see what God has in store for her little life!!!!


Here are some pictures I took during the week

Her clapping and dancing to the music

Zoie acting silly on the stage

Clapping her hands to the music, she loves music

The nursery class eating some snacks

Zoie enjoying her ice cream

A house into a home

And then we became a Family.......
On Wednesday, January 2nd 2008, God blessed us with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. We named her Zoie Mae James. Zack picked out the name. We gave her the middle name, Mae in memory of Zack's grandmother. After being in labor for two days, the doctor felt it was necessary to go ahead with surgery. Zoie was delievered via c-section at 9:10 p.m. From the first moment I heard her cry, my heart melted. I became a mother! It was the greatest feeling I have ever experienced. Looking at my husband while he held our new daugther seconds after she was born took my breath away. We were so happy. Seeing grandparents faces light up to see this little miracle brought tears of joy and happiness.
When Zoie was born, I feel in love with my husband all over again. We were parents. Our lives were changed forever. As soon as I held Zoie for the first time, I knew in my heart that I was going to do whatever it takes to be a great mother and provide for her. Instantly I feel in love with this sweet little girl. The one that grew inside of me for 9 months, I am now holding in my arms. Just to kiss her forehead and to say "I love you" was something I had been waiting all my life for. What a precious, sweet little angel that God sent to us. We are so blessed. After spending a few days in the hospital, we were headed home. Walking in the door to our home with our new daughter was a wonderful moment. We had many visitors come by to spending time with the newest addition to our family. Being a parent for the first time is a hard job. Not knowing what to do, or say, the lack of sleep, puts a strain on you personally and physically. But we knew throught faith, prayer, our family and friends, we would be the best parents in the world. The joy of teaching and watching them grow up is a blessing in itself. Preparing the best way for them. Giving them the tools they need to grow and learn. Parenting is the greatest joy in the world.
Zoie is now a year and a half. She has grown from the tiny, innocent infant, to a
michevious toddler. Exploring the world around her. Experiencing her first holidays were very exciting. She is the most precious little girl. She loves Mickey Mouse and anything really that has to do with Disney. She loves her grandparents dearly. Her favorite word, and has been for a long, long time is Papaw! She is definitly a Papaws girl. Well, the girl as a million grandparents, she knows she is rotton and spoiled beyond all means. There is so much joy in having a little girl. She has her daddy tied around her pinky and has me making sure she has everything in the world. She is daddys girl and momma's baby. That saying is so true. Just looking at her, holding her, kissing her good night is the greatest gifts I could ever have. When she looks at you, holds her arms up and says "Mama", or when she says "Jesus" or looking in her eyes and knowing that she really does love you and that you are so important to her, makes me realize I was put on earth to be HER mom!

All because two people fell in love

The beginning of you and me........

I never thought that my dream would come true. I would marry the man of my dreams and become a mom! But I feel like my life just started when I met my wonderful husband Zack. I should have known he was the one when our first date was to a football game. But since that fall night in 2006 our lives were never the same. We dated till January 1st 2007 and on that evening he took me to the very same spot, the football field, of our first date and asked me to be his wife. Of course I accepted! So much happiness in our lives and were both so excited to see what God had in store for us for our future! We were married on May 19, 2007. We had a wonderful and beautiful wedding. Walking down the isle to see my future husband was a memory I will cherish forever. We recieved a wonderful blessing from God on our honeymoon in the Keys. We found out that we were excepting our first child. After finding out we were expected parents, we just cried in happiness, embraced in one another and prayed that God would make us the parents He wanted us to be.

I'm so thankful to God that He gave me my wonderful Husband. He is a great man and father, a wonderful son to his parents, hardworking, loyal and faithful. He takes care of his family and loves me for me and there is no other man in the world that I would have wanted to spend the rest of my life and be the father of our children. So to Zack, my best friend, that you for making me the happiest woman in the world!