10 months of baby love.

police lives matter.

I was the wife of a police officer for almost three years. The first year he worked "midnights" and I don't think I slept that entire year. I remember curling up in bed with our new baby, our first baby, and praying that the hours would pass by quickly and that he would make it home safe. I would call him all hours of the night to check on him, and sometimes I would wake up in a cold sweat and have to dial his number. I would say to him, "be safe," and "you better come home to us," and even "DO NOT forget to put your bullet proof vest on. I don't care if it's hot and uncomfortable. You have a wife and a baby, and we need you!"
I remember times would he would come home from his shift and not want to talk. He saw things that people shouldn't have to see. Every once and a while he would tell me bits and pieces of heartbreaking stories about children or situations that he handled. I knew he was only telling me the easy parts and that there were deeper, more painful layers to the stories. Sometimes he would go straight to sleep after work and seem "down" for days. He'd tell me not to go to certain places or certain parts of town because of things he knew, but didn't have the heart to tell me about.
He was a great officer. And he loved it. He loved the excitement. He loved the camaraderie. But most of all, he loved helping people. I really found this out when I did my first ride-along. He would pull up on an altercation, and by the time Jeb left, everyone would be laughing and telling jokes with each other. He would arrest people and by the time he got them to jail, they would be calling him their friend. He has a way with people and making them happy. I've never met anyone who didn't like Jeb.
I know that some people abuse their authority, and I know that there are "bad apples," but most police officers are good people who are doing their best to help others. They react according to protocol and their training in last-minute, life-threatening, high-adrenaline situations. They try to use their best judgment, and they try to keep others as safe as possible AND make it home to their families. And it's not an easy job.
I thank Jesus for Jeb's time as an officer. It made him a better father and a better man. Support law enforcement…because police lives matter. ‪#‎lawenforcementappreciationday‬

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Grandparents Day at Grove Pre-K.

A couple of weeks ago, Grove Pre-K had a "Grandparents Day Christmas Program." We were snow skiing last year when Reid was supposed to have this program, so I was really excited for LilliAnn to get to be in her Christmas performance this year. Grove's annual "Breakfast with Santa" fundraiser was the following day, so the gym was already getting decorated for Christmas. 

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Miss Bella! I loved how they all wore reindeer headbands! I went up to the school a few days before this to help the pre-k make reindeer handprint/footprint shirts. I helped with this last year when Reid was in pre-k, and I was excited to do it again with LilliAnn! 

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My sweet little reindeer. She was so nervous!

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She didn't sing too loud or do the moves too big, but I loved seeing her little shy face that morning.

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They sung several Christmas songs, but "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was my favorite! 

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I love her so much!

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Nana and Papa were her biggest fans!

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The best grandparents in the world! 

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She is definitely her Nana's girl!

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Rushy enjoyed the show too!

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She was so glad her daddy was there! And I was so glad that I caught this candid moment on camera!

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lots of kisses for her daddy!

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I can't believe she is already half-way through pre-k! She's done SO well, and I can't believe that I worried so much about starting her. As much as I would love to hold her back and let her do pre-k again so that she's the oldest in her class like Reid, I know that she's thriving and she's made good friends. My baby is growing up…and she'll do great in Kindergarten next year!

SDC Christmas Performance. 2014

The first week of December was the annual Seminole Dance Company Christmas performance at the Reynolds Wellness Center in Seminole. It's always something that I look forward to just as much, if not more, than the recital each year. After doing "Rudolph" two years in a row, this year LilliAnn was is in the Pre-K class and performed to "Jingle Bell Rock." My parents and grandparents, as well as Missy, came to watch and then we headed to the Christmas parade after the performance. 

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Cousins Jett and Josslynn even came to see sissy dance!

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She loves her Gam-Ma Missy!

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sweet  dancing' girls…LilliAnn and Aspyn

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Hugs from Papa Kelbo

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She seemed so much more confident this year…still nervous…but confident.

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Ready to shake it!

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She's definitely got the "hip pop" down! 

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This year there were a LOT more facials! 

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Taking their bow!

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It was so crazy thinking that it wasn't that many years ago that I did some of these exact same Christmas dances. I couldn't help but mark the moves in my head during the "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and "All I Want for Christmas is You" performances. I love that my daughter gets to take dance at the same studio and from the same sweet teacher that I did. Watching her dance makes me heart happy and I pray that her love for it will continue to grow.