If these walls could talk!

As we are packing up and getting ready to leave this little condo in about a week, I have been getting sentimental thinking of all the memories in this first home of ours! We lived in Athens and Augusta for a little while but the majority of our marriage so far has been spent here and even though we are excited to be moving, I am going to miss certain things. These walls have seen:

LOTS OF STUDYING! We moved here so I would be close to Emory for PA school and I spent so much time here studying and trying to learn what it means to be a healthcare provider. I spent many hours on this couch and on the back porch memorizing bones, drugs, diseases, and looking at EKGS and Xrays. Then right after I graduated, Wes went through grad school and spent time memorizing all those music ed things and whatever else it is that he did in school-it was all foreign to me!
LOTS OF PRAYERS! Lots of crying out to God for help in school, help when I was scared to death to walk through the doors of Grady hospital, to get a job, to survive my first day of patients and not to harm anyone, prayers for these patients as they tell me their stories day after day, Prayers for Wes' job at Campbell and prayers when we took the leap of faith for him to work at GAC, prayers for his grad school and prayers for Haley the night she was attacked and hurt (while we walked in a close neighborhood), prayers when we found out we were pregnant (and sat on the couch wide eyed wondering how we would do as parents), prayers to quit feeling sick when I was pregnant, prayers to get through the fears of labor with Ashton, prayers as I walked these rooms having contractions, prayers for Ashton to stop crying once he was here and prayers to raise this little boy in a Godly way and prayers to sell this place over the past 2 years!
LOTS OF EATING! I love to cook and spent so much time in this kitchen learning to cook for 2 and then learning to cook babyfood and now learning to cook dairy free!
LOTS OF LAUGHTER! We had so many fun times with friends and family here and lots of fiestas and holiday potluck parties and showers!
LOTS OF ADDITIONS:our first dog Libby who we had for a whole week before taking her back because she almost tore the walls down,our sweet Haley! I was in school doing an out of town rotation and working nights in the ER the first night we had Haley so Wes was alone with her and she was so scared to be here that Wes spent the night on the floor beside her. She adjusted quickly and she was our only baby for quite a while!
-of course bringing home Ashton and all the STUFF that came with him! That first week of having him here was truly an eye opening experience and we were in survival mode only.

So, for myself mostly, I wanted to record all this so I would not forget how much this little place has meant to us. I love the first line of David's prayer in 2 Samuel 7, "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"

Party on Wayne...Party on Cow

Since GAC had a football game tonight on Halloween, Wes and Robert dressed up as Wayne and Garth. Ashton and Nicklas shared Halloween together for the second year in a row, both freaked out about their daddies' costumes. They were so cute, both now walking. We enjoyed spending the day with Wes's parents who were also out for the rainy game. Special thanks to cousin Edwin who wore the cow costume on his second Halloween also!!

Pumpkins with my Peeps

After two long days of looking at houses, we took Ashton to a pumpkin patch! He has been such a good sport and never complained the whole two days in and out of the car and in other houses where he can't walk around! He had some trouble walking around on the straw at the patch but we got some cute photos anyway.

He has really started talking and can say about 15 words now. His favorites today were "okay" and "yes" which are much better than "no, no,no" all the time. He also whispered back to Wes today when Wes whispered to him-So cute!! This is such a fun age!

It's Official!

Our condo is under contract!!! Praise the Lord!!! We are so thankful!

Yes, as his shirt says, Our "little squirt" is upright and moving which is why most of these are blurry! Although his first steps were a few weeks ago, he has really taken off this week. He has been so cautious, which everyone tells me is a firstborn trait, it's been fun to watch. I tried to get a few moving pictures between cleaning today for the THREE people coming this weekend to look at our condo! Please pray that we sell it!!! My three hours in the car on work days are really getting old. However, the Lord constantly reminds me of his provisions for us, the latest being our new van which makes driving much easier on Ashton. Hope everyone has a good weekend and enjoys the chilly weather. I love that we can pull out sweaters and recipes for corn chowder! (thanks Laura)

Pictures from our Beautiful Day in Athens on Saturday

Starting with my favorite...

Ashton finds my dad's chin very amusing!

Ending with Wes helping Ashton down the chapel steps where we got married.

Felt a little old shoving our way through the crowds of hot mama college girls with our loaded down stroller-haha. I also got stung by a yellow jacket. Can you believe it? Right there on campus! I know Chris and Katy will find that amusing!

Just met Jack Sullivan tonight-he is too cute! We're so happy for you Scott and Joy!!!

While Daddies were with their bands at away football games...

Ashton and Audrey had a datenight with their mommies as "chaperones." Meg kept saying they probably wished their chaperones weren't "breathing down their necks!" So funny!!

We gave them both their very first bath in the big tub! Ashton HATED it and made poor Audrey hate it too. By the end, they were both screaming and Meg and I were washing as fast as we could while I was trying to keep Ashton from escaping! What a memorable bath...

I love all three of their faces in this one-what a mommy moment! Audrey seems to be thinking Ashton needs to get a grip!

Even the doggies were happy to have a buddy!

We're so thankful to have Meg and Audrey and Clara to spend football Friday nights with!!!

Hooray for the Story Family who have their new baby girl!!!

10 Years Ago Tonight...

I met my sweetheart at a Drivin' and Cryin' Concert at AMF in Athens! It was one of the first weeks of college for us and I am forever grateful for Brian Westphal who introduced us. I know you won't believe this but I fell in love the night we met! This was at the Sundial earlier this year. There aren't too many pictures lately of us alone!

P-Mo, Goldens, and bike ride

So happy to see our Patrick since he had not been home since Easter! Don't he and Ashton look alike? So many people have told us that! Below Ashton is wearing his Run DMC shirt Patrick gave him that is too fun to wear out and see what comments he gets!

Much of Ashton's time lately is spent with this "mailtruck" delivering the mail. Rain, sleet, or snow he is diehard about those letters.

Here at my parent's house, he is discovering the stairs for the first time.

With just a little help from Wes, he was off and climbed them six times until we ended it! I think he would have gone all night!

At the top with Uncle P-Mo....

We celebrated my dad's b'day with a bang.

Football season means the Goldens are in town and on Sunday after church, they came to visit which we always love!

Ashton usually has a block in each hand in case they are needed lately

After a free lunch at Chick-Fil-A, we headed for Ashton's first bikeride at the Alpharetta Greenway. We loved it but as you can see, he hated wearing a helmet! He spent most of the ride trying to get it off.

I love this picture-if you look closely, you can tell he is trying to yank that helmet off!

Even though I hate pictures of myself in a helmet, I had to post this one because Ashton's face is too funny. Wes says he is saying, "What did we just do and why are we wearing these on out heads?"Happy labor Day!

Three Musketeers, Spartans, and Firetrucks

Remember these three sleeping babies who just a year ago became buds over their mommy's lunches?
here they are now! All one year old! We had fun celebrating together at Luke's party last weekend!

Ashton already chasing the girl...Audrey's such a cutie!

Luke loved his cake!

Friday night was the first Spartan's game of the season and we're so happy to have Robert joining the band this year!

Ashton loved the game and really watched the band! All four grandparents were also there to open the season!

Yesterday, we went to the Taste of Chamblee Festival with George and Kate. It was hot but we had some good food and fun times with the Koulouris fam! Next year, we'll have baby Koulouris for Ashton to pal around with! The Dekalb firefighters were there letting the kids see their firetruck. Ashton was much more interested in their fire dog! He's just like his mama and Mimi... adores those pups!

Inside the truck

Riding with daddy!