Fun Filled Weekend!

This was my "favorite" weekend... if I had to classify all the weekends of the past few weeks or months this would rank as a fav! Friday evening we had a benefit dance at school for Patrick, Amanda, and Beckett that was a smashing success! Afterward we went out for a quick dinner and then, upon Lily's request, played LOTS of Wii! In fact, the weekend was full of Wii show downs! Saturday was bad weather, so other than a little working at school and lunch out, we were in for the day! We hunkered down with a movie and napping and Wii playing fun! It was the most relaxing day!



We also found time for the project you see above! My sister, Sarah, sends Lily post cards from all her travels! We decided to get a map and keep track of all the places we get post cards from! :-) This is a great way to learn about the US and where things are in our wonderful country! We have had a lot of conversations lately about "What country/state/city we live in." Lily used to say, "What world are we in?" when we passed through a town or city! She learns so quickly!


Speaking of Sarah... she made Lily and I matching approns (below) which we cooked in this weekend to get ready for our long awaited picnic! :-) Here you see Lily with the fruit kabobs she made! She picked the recipe out of her very own cookbook! We took them to the picnic and they were a big hit!


Here we are modeling our apporons... litterally! lol! Her daddy was behind the camera making us work it! :-) Sarah we LOVE the approns! Chris, you are a phenomenal photographer, but with subjects like these... I mean, what could you expect but great pictures! ;-)



By far, my favorite part of the weekend was the picnic! We started planning it a couple of weeks ago and it couldn't have worked out bettter! We met the Hutchings, Fletchers, Dillmans, Dodds, Kinneys, and Finnells at the park for a classic kite-flying, bike-riding, walk-taking, play-ground-playing, side-walk-chalk-drawing, bubble-blowing, hamburger-eating good time!

Lily and her sidewalk chalk! She is the artist!

Megan and her boys!

So Sweet!

All the kidletts had such a WONDERFUL time playing!!!

And the men had fun being men!

Here are the girlie girls eating!

Lily, Anna, and Abby!

Baby Jack with Aunt La

Lily and Chris playing on the slides!

Lily playing tag with Robin and Melody!

Scott and his two girls, Robin and Melody!

What a climber!

Lily did AMAZING on the climbing wall!

FUN. FUn. Fun. fun.

We MUST do this again! SOON!

(In fact, as Anna and Abby left, Anna informed us that she and

Lily had already planned a "play date!" - precious!)

Habitat Golf Scramble

This weekend has been great fun! In spite of my allergies (with the pollen this heavy, I think EVERYONE has allergies right now) I enjoyed a weekend of outside events! Friday was a baseball game with my favorite coach... and we won! Then we came home and watched Sherlock Holmes... unfortunately I slept through half of it. I tend to fall asleep during movies if is later at night... Chris gives me a hard time about it every time it happens, lol! Saturday was the big day, though. It was all day at the golf course - our favorite thing to do! All the "Pickwick guys" got together to play in Habitat's first ever golf scramble!

They were split into two groups - one with Web, BJ, Steve (aka - Big Sexy), and Chris....

...and the other with Clay, Derek, Charles, and Brad!

Lauren - posing here to test our photo spot - worked with me on hole #9 where we sat all day with our cooler of cold beverages and talked with, watched, and photographed each foursome! We had the best time and it was such a beautiful day!

Here are our guys on number 9! They played well and came in FIRST place in the top flight! Also in the top flight and coming in second was the other group of Pickwick guys! We were so proud!!!

I was most proud of Moo for pulling off this wonderful event! I was SO well planned, well organized, and SO. MUCH. FUN! I don't know numbers, but I know if you ask anyone there they would agree it was a smashing success and should become an annual event! :-)

And, of course, a shot of me and my favorite golfer! I think it's time for me to dust of the clubs and get back at it myself! :-) There is nothing better than spending the day of the golf course with my favorite person... it's good for my soul!

Now it's Sunday and the weekend is winding down. My soul is full of peace. Went to church this morning, planning to take an afternoon nap this afternoon, and then we are headed to Milton to spend some QT with Chris' family! Life. Is. Good.

Update on Jon Beckett

Update: Still a lot of waiting and watching! Off the vent and out from under the brain monitors which means he can be held! He is out of the ICU. Now they'll see if he can eat of if he'll need a feeding tube and then the longest part of the wait begins... several months to see how much of his little brain is dead and how much is only damaged. Please consider contributing to "The Jon Beckett Nelson Benefit Fund" at Suntrust bank! Most of all, just pray. Pray for Jon Beckett and pray for Patrick and Amanda on this very long, hard road!


If you want to get updates directly from Patrick and Amanda and are on Facebook you can join the group "Praying for Jon Beckett Nelson."

For a quick update, he is off the ventilator and tomorrow they will take the little things off his head that monitor his brain and Patrick and Amanda will get to hold their baby boy... finally.

Keep praying for a miracle!!!

A busy weekend...

This picture was too funny not to share! Nothing like a bubble beard! lol!

We had a super busy weekend. Friday started with work and ended with a double header (Chris coached, Lily and I watched and played)! Saturday brought open gym for Chis and Lily while I ran some errands... Then to Vanderbilt to check in on Patrick, Amanda, and Beckett and to deliver some things that our school collected for them, then off to Chattanooga. In Chattanooga, we ate at Couch's (of course), Bentlee came over for a little while to play, we took a walk to Great-Ma and Great-Pa's, played with all the American Girls, and just generally hung out with my parents and had a great time! We decided to spend the night and this morning started the day with a HUGE bubble bath for Lily in the jacuzzi tub and then we all went out to lunch together and headed back to the 'boro for a trip to the Discovery Center (one of our most favorite and most visted places) and then off to Chris' Parents for a visit and dinner! What a weekend. I am just now getting home and settled back in.

Although the weekend was busy and filled with wonderful weather and people we love, what weighed on our minds more than anything was, of course, Beckett, Patrick, and Amanda. We have talked of little else, prayed continuously, and found ourselves confused and sickened. See the post below if you don't know what I am referring to. Things aren't looking good for Baby Beckett. He needs a miracle to save his little life and to ensure quality of life. Please continue to pray. Miracles happen... we need the doctors to have it wrong this time.

John Beckett

***UPDATE: Beckett is being moved to the ICU as a precaution for the next 3 days, maybe more... looks like they will be at the hospital for at least the next 10 days if not longer. Please continue to pray!




At daycare on Monday John Beckett was put down for a nap in a bed instead of a crib. He somehow ended up getting his little face snuggled down in the mattress. When the daycare provider found him he was pale and gasping for air. He was transported to Stone Crest and from there he was sent to Vanderbilt. Breathing, eating and napping on his own, we are thankful that all risk for danger is past. Now the question is what, if any, damage is already done. Please pray with all your might for God's healing hands at work on this precious little baby boy! Please pray for the doctors, that they will have knowledge and wisdom and that they will find answers to all of the questions. Please pray for peace and rest for Amanda and Patrick... they are amazing parents!



This precious family has been at Vanderbilt children's hospital for the better part of the last two days waiting while Beckett has undergone brain wave monitors and spinal taps and MRIs and been poked and prodded. Right now, they "live" in a hospital room with their little man in a child size hospital bed hooked up to everything you could imagine and they wait... which might be the hardest part of all.

Thank you for your prayers! I know Patrick and Amanda appreciate it! God works in mysterious ways and he can do great things!

Last of the vacation pictures...

Lily's Spring Break Beach Pictures