We love our parents!

Time and again, Mac and I have talked about how the Lord has blessed us with such loving, selfless parents who have become such remarkable role models. From the day we were born, we have both witnessed what true love is and what it means. It is so much more than committing the rest of your days with someone, it is about the everyday things. With the current divorce rate lingering above 50%, our families have beat the odds and proven their belief in love. Both of our grandparents have clocked over 55 years and our parents 30 years. That's almost unheard of. It warms my heart when I think of their love and it skips a beat when I think about what the future has in store for Mac and I.

Our Parents.....our blessing

Another blessing...right after chemo, showing off his bandage

If this doesn't make you want to move to Charleston, I'm not sure what will. If you look close enough you'll see all of the church steeples. There's an ordinance that no building can be built higher than the tallest steeple. Makes sense, right?.......what's most important?



The grandma's and Bayley

Visiting the old Pitt street pier in Mount Pleasant's old village

I mean.....are they not the cutest? I love my mom's

Mom and I

Susie and I

The Cooper River Bridge, (boat view). Site of the Cooper River Bridge Run in which about 17,000 people ran faster than I. I'll get um next year!

Me and the in-laws...whom I adore:)

Mac's mom, Susie, taking in the breeze and enjoying the comfort of being on the water


Mac's dad, Mike, navigating

My dad's! I am blessed

We had a wonderful week with both of our parents

Bayley being spoiled by grandma and poppop

Bayley's aunt, Sadie. We love her and all of her quirks!

"I'm handsome...what's it to ya?"

We had a great visit with our parents and open our doors to them again! We sold our house and need extra hands for painting our new home:)

Birthday boy turns 6 years old!!!

Our Bayley turned 6 years old on Saturday and in honor of the festivities, we threw him a big 'ole birthday bash..with doggie birthday cake, flip cup, good friends, good food, and good drink:) This dog deserves to live another 10 years. He truly is a remarkable animal who touches the heart of everyone he meets. In my head I can spell out how absolutely wonderful he is but when I write it down it just doesn't ever seem to convey to the same magnitude. His soul is ginormous (that's a word right?) and his spirit will live on forever. Mac and I both know and accept that no other dog that we will accept into our family will ever compare to Bay. He's one in a million!

This picture was taken the day after his birthday party when the cake was already eaten, the people had left, the helium balloons had shriveled into rubber raisins, and I was busy cleaning up the debri. I turn around and he is sitting in the family room with this dopey look on his face (like he's wondering where all the fun went) right next to his balloon. I swear I didn't pose him this time. My mom and I just started cracking up and then I ran for the camera! Moments like these....

The Birthday Boy
Come on mom, the neighbors are watching!

Mac made this 'flip cup' table for the party and Ella broke it in by dancing on it....she even got a dollar for her performance!

Christine sneaking in a bite of cake before bedtime, behind Tom's back

Grandma and Poppop came to party too!

"Oh Baabbbyyy"

Bayley opening his birthday presents

He literally opens his gifts...he tears the wrapping paper off, spits it out and continues until he gets his gift. It's amazing to watch.

Thank you to everyone for all of his gifts. We are blessed to have such amazing friends who care about Bayley and are constantly asking Mac and I how we are handling everything. Despite his diagnosis...we are happy knowing that we have friends like y'all.

Bayley even had a beer. I figured he was of age since in dog years, he's about 42.

The doggie birthday cake...made from 100% human grade ingredients. Looks delicious but tastes extremely bland:)

Sniff, sniff....ho hum...get in my belly!

Prior to the attack

Mid attack

Licking every last crumb! Where's the milk to wash this thing down?

We also celebrated Jess's birthday too! Her cake was much better!

Mommy and Bay

Andy, Heidi, and Bri

A view of Mac's table creation...it was genious! The red Solo cups brought us all back to our college days.

My turn in flip cup. It was West Virginia Univeristy graduates against Ohio natives. Take one guess who won! O-H-I-O

After everyone left, Bayley was found relaxing on the couch, tennis ball in mouth, paw on the remote. Typical man.

A pose to make mom happy

My ham! Happy 6th Birthday Bayley! We love you!

Houseguests

Bayley had a temporary sister for a week. We puppy sat Riley, with a face only a mother could love. She was such a sweet girl and I think that her presence lit a youthful spark in Bayley. He has been feeling so great these past couple of weeks that we have actually forgotten that he even has cancer at all. He was chasing Riley around the backyard, racing to see who could eat their dinner the quickest, and lovingly shared his new bed with Riley who snored alllll night long:)

What dog sits like this??? He's human I swear. I always say that if you look deep into his eyes long enough, you'll get a glimpse of the little old man that lives inside his soul.

Look at that mug!

We celebrated my dad's birthday this past weekend......I was lazy and had to buy a keylime pie....simply not enough days in the week to bake.


Grandma teasing Bay with her pie. Her pants were soaking from the drool....that's your own fault, ma!

Poppop looking at his new map of the local waterways.....figuring out his next boating trip.

Our birthday gift.....enough life jackets for full capacity....we plan on having a couple boat parties:)

We had a great week with Riley and a relaxing weekend with my parents.....now the planning begins for Bayley's 6th birthday party this Saturday!!!! Stay posted for pictures

Welcome to the world, Matthew....

Jessie finally had her beautiful baby boy, Matthew Boyd. And knowing me and my love of bebe's, I had to visit and snap a couple shots.

Big yawn.....he slept for almost the entire visit

Glowing mama!

You just wanna kiss those toes:)