Adventures in Baltimore

We were thrilled to learn that our family from Oklahoma would be vacationing out our way in D.C. this past week! Although Marc's surgery made it difficult to spend as much time with them as we would have liked, it was wonderful to see them. The kiddos and I loaded up the van on Wednesday and ventured into Baltimore with plans to spend the afternoon with them before they continued on their travels...

After a journey into Maryland taking longer than expected (I am no longer surprised by the unexpected D.C. traffic jams here) we enjoyed a fast-paced harbor side reunion with our beloved family, complete with a yummy lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Naturally, there was a shortage of time to adequately catch up, but such is the way it goes when your visits are few and far between, right? Despite a three hour car ride and a napless afternoon, Gracie and Liam were in great spirits and had a great time exploring the harbor and getting acquainted with my Aunt and Uncle and Jaimi, Jaclyn and Nicholas.

By the time our afternoon came to an end, the kids were exhausted, our bellies were full and we were soaking wet (thanks to an unexpected downpour)! It was a delightful way to spend our day and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to visit with them - albeit short. :) Our only disappointment was that Marc was unable to join us, as he is still early in his recovery.

Aunt Amy and I sneaking a quick post-downpour snapshot!

I truly cannot believe that these two darling young ladies are "little" Jaimi and Jaclyn!

Gracie had officially entered into her "I am waaaay past nap time" haze.

Not the most opportune place to snap our pictures, but the whole unexpected downpour sorta threw a wrench into our gorgeous harbor photo plans!

Surgery Update

Just a quick update on how Marc is doing...

Marc went for his scheduled surgery last Thursday morning in Bethesda, MD and everything went beautifully. The neurosurgeon was pleased with how smoothly it went and felt it will indeed provide Marc the relief we were so desperately seeking. Marc has already mentioned feeling as though he has a "brand new leg", as the shooting pain and numbness he had been experiencing over the last year has completely subsided! Praise the Lord!!

Marc is pretty uncomfortable around the surgical site, as to be expected, but is feeling quite well overall and is able to walk and stand for short periods of time without much pain. I am receiving much-welcomed help from Marc's mom, as she so kindly offered to come and stay with us during this initial recovery period. Needless to say, Gracie and Liam are basking in the love and attention from their Grandma, and I am enjoying the opportunity to keep Marc company and comfortable while he rests. Continued prayers for his lengthy recovery are very much appreciated.

Prayer Request

As many of you know, Marc is scheduled for spinal surgery in Bethesda, MD this Thursday, July 16th. It has been a long road for us in finding ways to manage his pain caused by two herniated discs and severe back arthritis and we are cautiously optimistic that the recommended procedures may finally bring him relief. Please keep Marc (and the medical staff caring for him, too!) in your prayers during this time as he prepares for, undergoes, and begins the long recovery post-surgery. More updates soon to come...

Gracie and Liam, at a glance...

Liam is currently 14 months old and is a little boy on the go-go! Unlike our soft-spoken Gracie, Liam is, well, loud! Whether he is excited, happy, sad, mad or frustrated, they all equal the same thing: screaming. He is incredibly silly and loves to dance. In fact, the other afternoon I cranked up an old 80's tune, Walkin' On Sunshine, and he immediately broke into dance...I laughed so hard I cried! His language is slowly improving..."Mama", "Dada", "Doggy", and "Go-Go-Go!" are his favorite things to say. What is on Liam's bookshelf these days, you ask? His current faves are Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Go Dogs, Go!, and Inside Outside Upside Down. As far as how Liam likes to spend his days, he is really quite happy wherever he is. Whether we hit the park, nature trail, go for a walk, swim, or just stay put at the house, he tends to find joy in just about anything!

It really brings us such joy to see Gracie and Liam playing their little games and enjoying each other!


Gracie is growing and learning more with each and every day. I was amazed when I sat down to do a ladybug alphabet puzzle with her the other day to find that she can accurately identify almost every letter of the alphabet (M's, N's and Z's tend to confuse her most)! Her love for books continues and she is really enjoying the magazine subscription to High Five that her Grandma Ann bought her for Easter. Her love for helping in the kitchen continues, and that is something I love equally. I have really enjoyed teaching her about different foods, cooking with her and watching her try new flavors...in fact, while making a black bean dip this afternoon I found her happily munching on leaves of cilantro!

While having a backyard that isn't exactly level is often a source of irritation, when the rain pours it instantly turns a boring slab of concrete into a fun-filled water-wonderland in the rain!

Stars, Stripes and S'mores

In an effort to dodge the insane crowds (read:
spending the 4th of July in D.C. traffic on I-95), we teamed up with the Rosenberg and Farley families and celebrated our nation's independence with delicious food from the grill and smoker, gooey s'mores, and a package of sparklers.









Gracie and Liam spent much of the evening racing around with Abby and Keane. To complete the celebration, we roasted marshmallows and gave them their first taste of s'mores - which proved to be a bit anti-climatic for Liam! While Gracie's bright blue eyes about popped from her head upon taking her first bite, Liam was completely bothered and irritated by how sticky his hands quickly became. Little did we know, a simple graham cracker was all he needed to be satisfied!

Gracie was thrilled at the privilege of holding her very own sparkler!