home again

I am thankful that Drew is home because:

* Keadryn has someone whose not 6 months pregnant to throw her in the air.

* He brought me home a sweet leather bag! (that I am sure at some point will get its very own post)

* I have someone to talk to as I dose off to sleep.

* I don't have to be on "baby duty" 24/7.

* I have been doing a lot of thinking/praying about our future plans over the past couple weeks and it is SO nice to get to share what I have been learning with him.

* I love hearing the crazy travel stories he always has...he is such a great story teller.

* I get to re-experience the new fun things Kead is doing (like saying "aaaa done" for "all done") with him and see his eyes light up.

* I don't have to figure out how to fix the kitchen sink that is stopped up.

* Every time he leaves my thankfulness for him as a father, husband and friend is renewed and I fall in love with him all over again!

man, we miss drew

only four more days till we see Drew again! Kead has been walking around aimlessly chanting "dada, dada, dada, dada"...super cute.

Without Drew here to interject random sports facts, grill meat and other boy stuff- Kead has had a GIRLY couple of weeks, complete with new purses, new jewelry, new dresses, shopping with the girls and painted toes. Drew is going to have to rough her back up a little when he gets home.

sharing memories

One of the funnest things about Denver is the zoo! I have such fond memories as a kid there, when my grandma use to go with us. We went last summer with Keadryn and she pretty much slept (Burke did the same this time). It was so fun to see her take interest in some of the animals (mostly fish that are easy to see up close) and I am excited to watch her grow and make memories there too!

keadryn loved this snake!

waiting for it...

...still waiting for it....

whoosh...there goes the sea lion!

50% really cool....50% terrifying!

keadryn, where's the baby?

...the whole baby in my belly thing is a little confusing. :)
(pardon the clothes, we just woke up from nap)

marrakesh

Of all the cities we visited in Morocco, Marrakesh was my favorite. It is such a cultural center with a really fun old medina area (the narrow streets and adobe houses I think when I think of Morocco) and an AWESOME square filled with food and spice booths, old medicine men, story tellers, snake charmers, acrobats, street performers, fresh squeezed orange juice stands, and a few men trying to rip you off and sell you Moroccan souvenirs for triple the price you pay at the stores. It is pretty much complete chaos! It's great! Last time we were there, we found a place on a veranda at a restaurant, ate some incredible Moroccan food and sat for hours people watching. It's my most favorite memory of Morocco.

Drew and friends are there now, and I am super jealous. Hope they have fun- and pay too much for a man to put snakes around their necks. :)

looking out over the square, in all its craziness

yummy yummy tangine

I didn't really WANT the snake on my neck...

the cobra sitting in front of us

off to morocco

drew and the group from redeemer are off scampering around morocco and spain. They landed safely in spain this morning and will make it into morocco (marrakesh to be exact) tomorrow. I will try to keep everyone updated as to their whereabouts as often as I get e-mails.

love this boy

happy birthday keadryn!

wow! a year has passed and little K is one year old today! I cannot imagine life without her and the blessing she has been to our life.

here are some of her favorite things:

• being outside
• dogs
• stovetop stuffing
• her ocean puzzle
• bath time
• oranges
• walking around the house with stuffed animal in tote
• her stuffed camel
• people watching
• goldfish
• giving hugs (mostly to stuffed animals)
• being barefoot
• the park
• jewelery
  

and some pics of her birthday party on Sunday. Today she gets to celebrate by getting her one year shots :( so we wanted her to have a fun day with friends too!

much too busy with cake to look at the camera!

being very lady like with the cake and eating each frosting star one by one

getting the hang of it

finally making a mess!

Keadryn showing her little friends how to play our bean bag toss game, we let her get a bit closer than regulation :)

burke james is here!

I'm an aunt!!! Little Burke James Gentry arrived this morning at 7:30 he was 6 lbs 14oz. and 19 inces long. Kirst had a loooong labor (30+hours!!!), but everyone is healthy and recovering, getting plenty of rest at the hospital!

I can't wait to meet this little guy on wednesday!!! Congrats to Adam and Kirstin!

after the rain

it doesn't rain much in lubbock, so when we have a chance to jump in puddles and get wet- we take it!!!

oh yeah- mothers day

awhile ago i posted about some fun packages to send mom for mothers day from the martha stewart website . Since the day has come and gone (happy mothers day by the way!) I can now post pictures of the fun "bowlful of love" I sent my mama! Thanks for the fun idea, Martha!

a year of goodness

drew turned 28 today and I am so thankful and overwhelmed by what a blessing year 27 was!

obviously becoming a dad is the biggest blessing about year 27!

and quickly using learning how to incorporate Keadryn into all sorts of fun

....still incorporating...

what a blessing to be close enough to family...

watch some football- and enjoy the next year!

happy birthday drew!

kead's photo shoot

I am not huge into posed pictures of baby, or studio portraits in general- BUT our friend brittany strebeck is an awesome photographer and she is amazing at candid and artsy photography so to celebrate kead's first birthday (may 20th) we did a little afternoon around town with brittany. The whole session won't be ready for a couple of weeks...but she gave us a little sneak peek on her blog!!! Go check em out- they are AMAZING! I can't wait for the rest.

the blog:

brittany strebeck

her website for any lubbock folk who need some pics! :

brittany strebeck photography

brittany and kead after the afternoon together

hats off to kristen and kelli

Every time Drew goes out of town, (even for a couple days) I go crazy. Lately I have been thinking/ praying a lot for my friends whose husbands are overseas with the militray and as Drew is out of town at a conference today and tomorrow I will think about both of them and the super human amazing strength God has given them to love their kiddos while the daddies are gone. Kelli wrote a blog a couple days ago about how the Lord has continued to grow her and strengthen her and cause her to rely more on Him while her husband is away and it was so challenging and encouraging to me. You girls are amazing. I will continue to pray for you (and your hubbies) that He gives to strength and encouragement!

sweet drew

I'm sure drew loves it when I post pictures of him using my hot pink polka-dot punch all over the internet, but he is so amazing at helping out around here! Everything from taking Kead with him to run errands (or meetings at the coffee shop) so I can take a little nap, to doing dishes and even helping me with my invites when he has a free minute. He is such a sweet ( and also very manly- he would want me to say) husband!