Charleston

The last month or so we have been on the road visiting different places. In May, on the way back to Raleigh from Florida, we stopped in Charleston. It was so GREAT to be back there and see all our friends and go to church. We were encouraged and blessed by the visit.

Each of our boys are named for family and a place that is special to us. Dawson's middle name is Cooper, for the Cooper River in Charleston. He got a kick out of being there and going over the river all the time. Kenan wanted to be Kenan Cooper all weekend as well. :) But we really enjoyed getting to take him back to his namesake. (The other two have been to their namesake as well and pics will follow, at least for Kenan. no pics for Silas- oops...next time) :)

Dawson decided to take over driving.

Our special friends the Vaughans. Ezra, Kate, Caleb, S, K, D, Marie.

The last day we went downtown where Brett and I lived. We visited waterfront park. Silas got a kick out of the water. I love that I have about the same pictures of the other boys at the same age.

This is our family in 2006 before we left for France...

The family now in 2010.

Kenan was sick this day so wasn't really into picture taking, but the other two enjoyed it.

We got to eat lunch at one of our favorite places, Gilroy's. Then we just happened to pass one of our favorite places for dessert, Carolina's. It's a brittle basket. FANTASTIC. Brett's dad even brought me one in the hospital right after I had Dawson. It's a pecan brittle basket with vanilla ice cream, covered in fruit and hot chocolate sauce.

What made the day even better was getting to spend it with Jessica. She lives in Mali but has been on home assignment this whole year. So it was great to see her and show her around. Even greater knowing when we said goodbye it was only for 2 months this time. We will all be back in Mali in July!

Quotes for me to remember

I know most of you don't care to hear what the boys say, but these are for me so that I remember them.

The other night I was laying with Dawson and was telling him how much I loved him and that I was glad God gave him to me. He then told me he was thankful God gave me to him. I said we should pray and thank God for each other. I started praying and thanked the Lord for giving me Dawson. I thought I would continue and say thanks for giving us each other. Instead, Dawson chimes in and prays (which he doesn't do often) and thanks God for giving me to him. So precious. It made my night. Maybe my week.

He has also been telling me lately, "I love you to heaven and back!" Again, how sweet.

I love that he will tell me he loves me, even when I know he's just repeating what I say. To test this, I said, "I'm so glad for you... I'm thankful for you.... you are special..." and he repeated each statement back to me...even when I said. "you are a boy." :) He realized it as he was saying it, but it was funny nonetheless. I'll take the compliments even if he's just repeating me. :)

Mother's Day 2010

I had a great Mother's Day today. Got to sleep in until 8:30! Then the boys surrounded me and gave me tons of hugs and kisses. It was great.

It was nice to be in the States this year so that we could actually give our moms something. This is what we did for both Grandmas. (it still counts even though my mom helped me make them, right?) :) I saw the idea on a blog and decided I wanted to do it. Trees made out of the boys' hands.

And here is my total surprise that I just had to show off! Brett gave me a loving hands ring which is holding my three pearls. Love it. It was so sweet! He actually gave it to me before we left for Disney World the other day- right after I had just told him that I didn't expect anything for Mother's Day.

Disney World

We got to spend two days at Disney World with Brett's mom. The boys had a ton of fun. It was so fun to watch their excitement over things. Just loved it. And to see their fear when they thought things were real- like they were really fighting the evil Emperor Zurg or that the snakes on the jungle boat ride were really going to come get them. I just loved seeing life through their eyes.

At the start of our first day at Hollywood Studios. They "met" Mr. Potato Head in line as we waited for the ride.

Then the boys strapped Silas onto a rocket as we waited to meet Buzz and Woody.

The highlight of the trip.

Then onto Mater and Lightning

and the Incredibles. I love how Kenan is making his hero pose.

Silas pushed Kenan around a lot. The rest of the time he just pushed his empty stroller. All over the park. I'm not kidding. I couldn't believe it.

At Magic Kingdom. My family has a picture of us when we were little in front of the castle. I don't remember the trip but I remember the picture so I told Brett that was the one thing I wanted when we went- to get a family picture in front of the castle. So we tried...

On the rocket ride which, by the way, was really quite fast. I think all the adults were a bit scared of it. Can't imagine riding as a kid.

Next was the race cars which the boys loved as well. (no Dawson didn't drive alone)

Our car was packed. I don't know if Anne will ever ride with me again after my driving in that car. I don't do well with my left hand apparently.

Pop Pop in his car with Kenan as the driver. Love that you can't even see him.

To say he enjoyed it would be an understatement.

They looked this excited a lot during the day.

Then face paint. Loved watching them. Kenan just sat their with a little grin on his face, totally letting her paint. Dawson, however, closed his eyes, but you could tell he didn't like not feeling in control and knowing what was going on. Just neat how you could see their personalities even in face painting. Kenan was totally cool with someone else taking the lead and he just sat back and enjoyed it.

the cutest tiger I have ever seen.

but the tiger poured tears once he realized Dawson was a super hero. So then he became a Super Tiger!

Just love his sweet face, meanwhile, Dawoson is working on being a serious super hero (whom he decided was no longer more like Flash but wanted it to be Spiderman).

Super Tiger taking a bite and Spiderman trying to shoot his web.

All day they wanted to ride Dumbo but the line was long. I don't know how Kenan knows the story but he got all excited to tell me that Dumbo flew with his big ears. So then the rest of the day we would ask him how Dumbo flew and he would say, "with his ears" as he pulled his own ears out. Finally, at the end of the day we got to ride it and here is Kenan explaining it's in the ears.

So we had a ton of fun. But it was tiring. Here are the boys on the second day, finally taking a nap...even if it was with a bag of Cheetos. I even tried to take away the Cheetos once from Silas when he was sleeping so they wouldn't fall. He woke up and cried until I gave them back. So that's how he slept, in the stroller with his hand in the bag.

This should be the poster picture for Disney. That's what it does to you. :)

Thanks Mémère and Pop Pop for a wonderful time at Disney and for all the special memories that will last a lifetime!

Visiting Brett's mom, Mémère, and Pop Pop

Brett's mom lives in Florida so we've been done here the last couple of weeks taking in the beach and enjoying her pool. Even though the pool is a bit cold at times, the boys have still enjoyed it.

here are the boys on the way down. We made it in one day (about 12 hrs total with stops) but we commented on how much easier it was than when we travel in Mali. It's nice to not have to look out for people or animals on the road or fear every time another car or truck comes toward you at 70 mph without a median between you and them. There are also places to stop along the way. so nice! And stop we did. I was worried when we had already made our second stop only an hr into the trip. Thankfully, it got better. We only had to stop 5 times, three of which were to McDonald's. yuck. But McDonald's has the playground so that's what matters. For dinner we stopped at one, though, that didn't have a playground but Brett took the boys over to the nearby construction site for them to play. I guess that felt more like Mali to them anyway. :)

One night after a bath. Just thought he was cute.

All decked out for the pool. This is one of those blackmail pictures for later in life. :)

Kenan getting warm with Mémère. (In case you are wondering where Mémère comes from...Anne speaks French so when she was deciding what to be called before D was born we came across Mémère and we all liked it. It's the French equivalent to Grandma.)

They have a float thing that can hold ice in the center and has drink holders so your drink can float around in the pool with you. Tonight Kenan had his milk in the cup holder as he swam. :) The other day, they enjoyed sitting in the ice cooler part.

We went to a pancake place where you make your own pancakes which is part of De Leon Springs State Park. The boys really enjoyed it.

Then we had an impromptu science lesson as we placed a piece of ice on the hot griddle and watched it turn to liquid and then evaporate.

enjoying cheetos on the lawn after a swim at the park.

Then on to tree climbing.

Next up, pictures from Disney World!