Happy 8 Year Anny!

That's right...8 years tomorrow!! (We were excited about getting married in the year 2000 so we'd have no excuse to forget how many years have gone by since it's whatever year it is!) I can't believe it has been 8 years already though. This is going to sound corny...the time has flown by, but the love has not blown by. It's amazing how marriage allows such a perfect unity, a unique bond that no one else shares. We talk about sometimes how we thought we really loved each other on our wedding day...but it in no way compares to how we feel now. And we know who gets the credit for all of this. I'm so thankful that God is the center of our marriage. It is God that brought us together and God that helps us maintain our vows. The verse on our invitations was Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." And I'd say Amen! I feel very blessed with the desires of my heart at this point in my life. Thank you Stephen for loving me the best you can. I love you!



So honestly...do we look too much older now? I'd like to think I look pretty much the same...except for a few stray gray hairs now!!

Parkside family is expanding...

Dr. Moll (Justin) and his wife Jennie are expecting their 2nd daughter this Wednesday. Today was a little baby shower the staff wanted to throw for them. All the kids enjoyed helping Jennie open the gifts.



Here is Dr. Anderson (Erika) and her son Ethan. She'll be coming on board part-time in the fall after she has her 2nd child. Erika was in Stephen's residency class. We enjoy hanging out with them lots!!



Abby made a new friend also. Ashlyn works at the front desk and loves to babysit on the side...and we might be in touch!



They've hired so many new people recently so it was nice to meet all the new staff...and I LOVE potlucks...especially while pregnant!!

Thankful

Today I'm just thankful!

I am thankful Abby is napping well today...which has really improved the past month.

I finished up a great Beth Moore study today..."Beloved Disciple"...and am thankful for how its overall theme reminded me that God loves me. God desires me to be planted firmly by his river of life-giving water so I can abide in that love and nourish others with that same love.

I've been catching up on some friends blogs and I'm thankful for the way they've challenged and encouraged me on some of God's truths.

I'm thankful for the past couple of days I got to spend with my old college roommate (love you Ames!). There are few people who you can hardly ever see, but can reconnect with so easily.

I'm thankful for my sister's upcoming wedding and getting to walk alongside her on this journey of marriage.

I'm thankful that I think I have finally felt peanut #2 moving around inside me.

Hope you all are experiencing the abundance of things you can be thankful for today.

Last Williamsburg Post!!

Here are some of my last favorite pics from our vacation. We did not manage to get a good family photo because Abby's new favorite way to drive me crazy is to whine and wiggle out of any posed picture that involves her!

Meme and Abby in front of the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg



Malana (my sister) and Erik (her fiance--wedding bells will ring August 2nd!)



Abby trying out some sport the kids used to do in the old days. We do not have a picture of me attempting it...thankfully!



One of the 3 replica ships at Jamestown



Abby's favorite way to travel these days. It was so great to have a whole week with Stephen. It was a great way to extend our Father's Day into a week long family bonding time.

Busch Gardens

I LOVE roller coasters!! That being said, let me say that while I am extremely excited about little peanut #2 inside me, I was so sad not to be able to ride any rides except the carousel and some other kiddie ride with Abby. All the signs advise against rides for expectant mothers and people with back problems, which my Dad is experiencing right now. We're the 2 ride lovers in my family and neither of us were able to do them this time, bummer.

Here's the fam watching Stephen go solo on "Griffin" the newest roller coaster. Notice the green shirts. My mom thinks it's very fun and bonding and will prevent people from getting lost if we all wear the same color t-shirt. I played the pregnant card, my sister just refused, and Stephen wore a different green shirt.



Here's Stephen's face on the "Griffin" !!! He's the one on the farthest right side.



Abby really loved the rides people could ride WITH her. We had some tears on the ones she was supposed to do solo...I'll spare you those pics!

More animal encounters...

I was counting on there being LOTS of horses around Williamsburg because sightseeing isn't all that exciting for a 2 year old. So Abby was on horse watch and she found them all. We didn't ride a horse and buggy, but we saw probably 20 of them. And for those of you who are wondering what the baby bump is starting to look like...you can see it pooching out now!!




The Clydesdale horses at Busch Gardens



Chickens roaming around Jamestowne settlement

Davison Family Vacation

We had a great week with my family in Williamsburg, VA...that was this years chosen destination. We saw historic Williamsburg and the original colony site at Jamestowne. We went to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. Sounds so relaxing huh? The Davison family likes to define vacation as seeing and doing lots!! We did have a wonderful time and there were plenty of relaxing moments by the pool and watching movies. Thanks for everything Mom & Dad!!

Abby's highlights were rides and animals. I'll have to do multiple posts to capture everything...

This was what we were greeted by almost every morning...ducks and geese. And of course my Dad let Abby feed them because she asked to! It all started with one duck, then 4 and then we looked farther down the path and saw the flock of geese approaching as my mom ran out with the paper below. Oh well, it was fun for a few minutes!

Strawberry pickin'

Fun times picking strawberries with playgroup! What a hot day, but how yummy to eat right off the vine fresh berries. A gallon of berries is A LOT...I already have some frozen since we can't possibly eat that many in a few days! Abby helped pick some, but ate all the ones she picked...I'm just hoping that there really weren't any pesticides on them!






Check out Walker's shirt (the cutie on the left)! Aren't they all cute with their flushed little faces!

Pillowcase dresses

My friend Lindsey and I made our girls pillowcase dresses the other day...or attempted to rather. We had a little trouble with the armholes, but you can't tell when the girls keep their arms down. I think they look a little like togas, but they are very cute with the fun ribbons that tie them on.



Future doctors!??!

Helicopter ride

We went to a little children's carnival Friday night with the Roemmich family. Abby rode 2 rides, the train and the helicopters. She loves rides...what a Mama's girl! It was fun to take her to something different downtown, but it was WAY TOO HOT!!

1st backyard pool party of 2008

It was finally time to get out the baby pool this afternoon. I must say the water was pretty chilly because we didn't have the foresight to let it warm up a few hours before. But that didn't stop Stephen from finally giving into Abby's demands of "get in da pool dada!" Watching his face as he sat in that water was the highlight of my day! I politely declined the offer to get in because there was no longer any room for me...I was so bummed of course.



There's that crazy tongue again...comes out in every water picture!



Look how great our potted plants are doing this year! We're growing more Abbys!