Happy Father's Day 2011

Sawyer, Knox, and Ryan playing on the slide

My 3 guys posing by the truck!

My dad with all his grandkids!

My Father n law Walter with Knox!

I'm so thankful for Ryan and his love for being a dad!  Sawyer and Knox can't get enough of him.  He's extremely patient with all of us and does his best to play with the kids even when he's tired!  Thank you Ryan for being the example you are to our boys!

I'm also thankful for God's gift of an amazing dad!  He instilled in me so many things that have helped me grow closer to God and want to be an excellent parent.  

Thank you Walter for being the dad you were and are to Ryan.  You and Karen were always present for him and you taught him so many things about being a Godly man and dad!

Thank you God for these amazing men!

Knox is 1!

Knox is 1 year old

He wasn't real sure about his birthday cake!

Being silly on the swing set.

He thinks he's big enough to climb the slide with Sawyer

One year ago I couldn't wait to see what Knox would like like and act like.  He was definitely a bit more of a challenge in the beginning because he just didn't think sleep was necessary!  Thank goodness he's decided it's OK to do that several times a day!

Knox you've added another degree of fun and excitement to this family!  I'm excited to see what another year with you will bring!

Mystery of the Diaper

Has something ever happened to you and you can't for the life of you figure out how in the world that event possibly happened?  Well, I had one last night.  I was getting the boys ready for bed, getting ready for a conference call, and cleaning house.  I noticed a used and  wet diaper on the floor.  My first thought was, "now Knox has been in the trash can".  He had been so busy all day getting into things!  

So, I picked it up and through it in the trash can and didn't give it another thought until.....Ryan came home and we were playing in the floor with the boys.  Knox was walking everywhere being so silly!  He sat in my lap and I realized he didn't have a diaper on!  His clothes were snapped up, all but one tiny snap!  How in the world a huge wet diaper fell out of snapped clothes I will never know!  Sawyer promises he didn't do it:)  

I think I remember something like this happening with Sawyer except it was contents of the diaper!

Mother's Day 2011

I have now experienced 5 Mother's Day!  This year was my first with Knox.  We had a blast going to church, playing outside, napping, and just hanging out.

I know for some women Mother's Day is so dreaded because they so desire to have a baby and haven't been able to or they have lost children.  To all of you, close friends and ones I don't know, my heart does ache for you.  Know that prayers are sent often that God will give you the desires of your heart, even if it comes in a different package than you expected!

To all of you who are mother's I pray that you are given the stamina and wisdom you need to fulfill the job of being a mom no matter what age your children are!!!  If you need some help on being a Biblical mom I'm reading some great books by Sally Clarkson that are great resources along with your Bible, The Mission of Motherhood and The Ministry of Motherhood.

Knox Denton 10 months, Karlyn Kay 33, and Sawyer Joseph 4

 Thanks to my boys for my amazing gift, this is the poem I received...

A bushel and a peck,

And a hug around the neck.

We didn't clean our room,

So the house is a wreck!

Call Heaven Scent to clean

And pick up all our toys.

Have a Happy Mother's Day,

Love your three handsome boys!

Birthday Bash!

            Happy 40th Birthday Christy!!

Christy and I just before we walked into surprise party

Christy and her fab kids!

This weekend we celebrated, with grand flair, my middle sister's 40th birthday. It was a full weekend of surprises for her.  We knew it was a hit when she said, "This was the best birthday since the 6th grade". If you know Christy well, you know her attachment to that year of her life!

During all of the celebrating, I remembered just how blessed I am to have amazing women in my family and extended family. I've got a fabulous mom, two incredible sisters, amazing nieces, wonderful aunts, friends that are like family, and a slough of cousins that are pretty impressive too! This list doesn't even cover the influential women on my husbands side!

If you looked at all of them from across the room you might not give them a second glance, but just start a conversation with one and realize it's a "family of champions"! Possibly not by the standards of Olympians or world titles but definitely by spiritual standards. I see prayer warriors, perseverance through faith, endurance through tragedy-loss-hardships, and training through unconditional love.

So, Happy 40th Birthday Christy! Thanks for being one of the champions I look up to!

Jada's first week in Almyra

Jada's first week home has been pretty exciting, even though Sawyer slept through most of it! Sam and Will had a pretty good time talking to her and helping aunt Rachel keep Jada awake. Jonathan and Rachel are trying to get her on Central Standard Time instead of Lebanese time! She's almost there.
Sawyer is almost a month old. Time has flown and it doesn't seem possible. He's changed a lot and if his cheeks get any bigger his daddy will have to invent something to keep them off the floor!

Jada's Home

Jonathan, Rachel, and Jada finally made it home Saturday evening. We were all waiting for them at the airport. Their flight was delayed a little so we got to watch Sam and Will run around for a while asking "Where's JaJa?". Jada is precious. She has the longest eyelashes I've ever seen. They reach up to her eyebrows! Sawyer slept through the whole airport adventure so he hasn't played with Jada yet! Watch out Jada he'll come alive soon!

Crazy Week

We dropped Jonathan and Rachel off at the airport last Saturday to send them on their way to get Jada!!! Pretty exciting, soon there will be another baby around! After Sawyer got to spend the afternoon with my family we got home and I get sick! Thought it was the flu but luckily not! Little did we know that 8 hours ahead of us Jada and Rachel were sick also! Today we found out that they hopefully will be home Saturday! Come home soon we're ready to see you!

Dr. visit

We took Sawyer to the doc today to be weighed. When we came home from the hospital he weighed 7lbs 13 oz. Now at two weeks old he weighs 9lbs 11 oz. I knew he was filling out and getting some chunky cheeks but I had no idea he had gained nearly 2 lbs! At this rate we could have a big boy on our hands!

Sawyer is now 2 weeks old. These two weeks have flown, even with very little night time sleep and lots of day time naps! He is growing very fast and getting chunky monkey cheeks! He's smiling a lot and we aren't sure if it's because he thinks we're that funny or he's very gassy! Newborns are fun!

Sawyer's Arrival

After 21 hours of labor and a decision to have a C-section Sawyer Joseph Hillman arrived at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock 7:52 pm Thursday January 11th. He weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces, 21 inches long, head 14 1/2 inches, and 13 1/2 inches for his chest. He has dark brown wavy hair (like his daddy's) , Karlyn's nose, and long fingers and toes! He is a perfect little gift!

Waiting Patiently

January 4, 2007

Sawyer missed the full moon last night! We were hoping that would do the trick but it seems we're still waiting on the 7th to get here. Dr. appointment tomorrow, fingers crossed for progress!