This morning when we pulled out of our driveway and headed to church, we got to do so as a family of four. What a sweet thing to take our baby girl to Sunday church for the first time! God gave us a lot of grace and our morning was much calmer than I thought it would be. We were only five minutes late and we still got to make the obligatory stop at Shipley’s Donuts.
Here’s Annabeth in her first Sunday dress. I can’t even describe the joy I felt when I got her all dressed. She was the most precious thing since Jackson on his first Sunday. Do I need to tell you how much I love those Mary Jane socks?
Ready to go!
While Curtis was in the Shipley’s getting our breakfast, Jackson asked me about my wedding rings. For some reason I thought it would be fun to try to explain marriage to my three-year-old. I said, “One day you’ll find a pretty girl who loves Jesus and loves you and you’ll marry her.” Then his face lit up and he asked excitedly, “Who is it? Who is it? Who is it, Mommy?” He must have said it ten times. I told him I didn’t know, but Jesus already has her picked out. I hope I remember to tell that story one day at his rehearsal dinner. Okay, I have to change the subject now before I get emotional and have to admit to my husband that I’m crying about our son getting married.
On the way home, we were right behind my parents’ car and I thought about all the years that my original family of four drove that same route home in Dad’s grey Impala. And now there we were with our family of four. It was simultaneously weird and wonderful. I could go on about how the years will pass like the blink of an eye before my son and daughter are doing the same thing with whoever it is Jesus has picked out for them. But I changed the subject, remember?
Here’s my little two-month-old with Big Pink Bear. She didn’t cry this time!
In fact, we got smiles! These are the first real ones I’ve ever caught on camera. 
Amanda – your heart touches me, the way you write, the way you think, it is beautiful and touching.
Thank you for showing us these shots, the ones of you and Jackson are so dear. You wonderful woman of God.
Bless your family,
Siesta OC
Beth: Your grandgirl and grandson are too much, that pink bow is just so you.
P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S… That’s your baby girl and your strapping young man. They are adorable and I love what happened when you tried to explain marriage to Jackson.
One word, besides this blog-o-journal … write it down and stick it in a box so later on when you are planning a rehearsal dinner or a graduation party — you can pull those little tidbits out and tell the story verbatim. :o)
BTW… Those years passing in the blink of an eye. I had myself a pretty in pink youngest baby girl in my arms 17 years ago and last night she received her ministry call to Uganda. OMGoodness… The glory of it all. I mean seriously. She said she wants to be serving in a year and a half. She graduates in January (fingers crossed…) And then she is bent on getting to do what she needs to to be equipped to serve the children of Uganda. OH JOY!
Do I need to say that time flies… Cause yes, ma’am it does… But don’t worry about tomorrow or ten years from now… Just focus on today with your sweet babies and soak up every bit of struggle and goodness you can for God is going to do something amazing with all those memories… Just you wait and see.
Love you,
M
AH! She’s beautiful.
I also LOVE you tender heart that takes notice of details.
I just love firsts…your daughter is adorable.
Samantha
this is just too cute!!!
she is just precious!!
Amanda, thank you for sharing this carful of family with us, trailing the first carful that your Mother drove into our lives…..You all have brought us such encouragement and shown us such an abundance of joy and love….You are driving Jesus right into our daily lives and we can’t wait for the next carload….(no- i mean Melissa-not Jackson yet!!!!)
What a joyous pic and of Jackson, I was just wondering where his pics were.
They brightened my day and I needed that, I have Bronchitis and feel horrible!!I missed church yesterdya and i never ever miss Palm Sunday or Easter. Made me feel so much better, I even smiled!
Thanks for sharing
She is so precious!!! Enjoy these days as hectic as they are, they fly by so fast and then you will be at the rehearsal dinner telling these stories..
Thanks for sharing your pictures and memories with us siesta’s
Blessings
Lichelle
I LOVE the pics…of your precious beauty baby…and esp. of you and Jackson! 🙂 Thanks for sharing about your life going full circle!
Is there anything more incredible than the 1st time a baby smiles at you?
She’s just precious.
That baby is way to cute for words and she is growing so fast. Pretty soon she will be holding that sweet bear. And Jackson he is so handsome. You are just blessed girlfriend that is all there is to it:)
What a special day! I love Annabeth’s dress and shoes! You have two precious children! Can’t wait to see their Easter outfits!
Much love!
Annabeth has grown so much! What a sweet smile. I love seeing the pictures of you and Jackson as well. Thanks for sharing with us!
great pics of the kids little annabeth looks alot like your mom and the picture’s of you and jackson are too cute thanks for sharing your family with us. Hope you all have a great week.
LOVE AND HUGS SENT YOUR WAY
Happy day, Amanda! I’m so glad that you got to go to church as a whole family! And she did look mighty pretty for her first day to worship.
And I just have to say that I love the pictures of you and Jackson on the sofa. What sweet times!
I love trumpette socks! and isn’t the most fun having a girl? She is so adorable!
So many wonderful, sentimental moments for you in one day. Annabeth is absolutely darling and I love Jackson’s inquiring mind!
Just precious…Oh, how time does fly…
Amy Jo
SPECIAL! SPECIAL! THANKS FOR SHARING!!! WE LOVE YOU ALL!
Can’t wait to see her Easter dress! First couple of years it’s lots of fun then when she gets an opinion DRAMA! DRAMA! DRAMA! of well you’ve got a couple of years before that.
She is just precious!
And I love those Mary Jane socks – what a GREAT idea!
And my favorite pic is the one of you and Jackson – sweet mommy and her boy!
Blessings
Kim
Oh my good heavenly days ~~ she is gorgeous!!!
amanda, those pictures of you and jackson were almost too much to handle! that may have been dramatic coming from me (since i’ve never met you) but they were seriously the cutest. and, you are so beautiful! and annabeth was stunning in her first sunday dress. good times, good times.
::Taylor
If you can’t have big hair, wear a big bow!
So, so stinkin’ cute!!! LOVE little girl clothes! Next Sunday you can put her in her first Easter dress, and before long her first CHristmas dress! My 5 year old daughter and I love doing the holiday dress thing!!
Love to you and yours,
Kristen
Amanda – you are so sweet and I love it that you shared about the route home and the family of four and all the “memories” down Memory Lane. I travel Memory Lane a lot, it’s special to me.
So glad your first Sunday went well. Blessings to all the other “firsts” you will experience too.
Keep praying for your children’s mates. It’s a grand and glorious thing – and you won’t forget on the rehearsal dinners – I didn’t for my two sons!
Much Love,
Georgia Jan
She’s so darlin’! Looks like her brother!
Thanks for sharing a sweet Sunday story!
Thanks for sharing great pictures. Isn’t God good to bless us with motherhood. It is such a blessing and awesome responsibilty all at once.
kim
LOVE the argyle onesie!!!!! And of course, the hair bows and Mary Jane socks, but that goes without saying. And yes… in three short years, our oldest son will be leaving the nest and I still remember when he was 3. One thing never changes and never will – he is my precious boy!!!! Your pics with Jackson remind me of some of my fave picks with Jensen when he was that age. We are cuddle up together with an afghan around us -just so happy and smiling. I love it.
Linda
Thank you for sharing such sweet things. Your reflections on family really touched me today, well I guess anyday for that matter!
Have a sweet and blessed day.
Michelle in VT
Do you know what is even better than mary jane socks??? Mary jane TIGHTS!!! I saw them in a boutique this weekend. They are adorable! Probably not very practical for spring time in Houston, but so, so cute!
what a sweet post- thank you for sharing these special moments with all of us!!! Your family is adorable!
ADORE the picture of you and Jackson with his arms around you and a huge grin. Utterly precious.
SMILES! Yay!
Oh, what preciousness! Thanks for the smile those pictures and words brought to my face today, Amanda!
These pictures are SO cute!!! Your kids are ADORABLE!!!!
Amanda,
She is absolutely precious…and those pictures of you and Jackson are great!
Thanks for sharing!
Anne in MO
So precious!
And a tip on the socks – which I adore and used with my little girl – you can put fancy ones underneath, then fold over and they look extra fancy wo having to use shoes.
Blessings!
The little Mary Jane socks are also available at Nordstrom. They also have the little ballet slipper socks as well.
Oh, I gave these as a shower gift to Peggy’s daughter who just had a little girl. That’s what I was doing in the children’s dept at The Nord.
Adorable. I remember telling my son that Jesus already had his special someone all picked out! I told him he could pray for her when he said his prayers and then when they met he could tell her how he had prayed for her all these years… He was excited and said ok! So he started praying
“Dear Jesus, please let me have a good day at school today, and please let the girl you have picked for me have a good day too, and Jesus, please make sure you picked someone pretty”…
I laughed and laughed… later!
Love you all!
Judy
Pics are precious!
Oh, I can totally relate. I have a 4 year old boy who asks all the time, “Mommy, who will I marry?” I tell him the same thing you told your little boy and he says, “No, Momma, I want to marry you!” 🙂 I said, “Honey, I’m married to your Daddy and God has someone special picked out just for you!” Then he says, “OK, then, I will just marry Madelyn!” (his 7 month old little sister). So so so funny! I know that day will come (faster than we want) that he will not want to marry me anymore…and that makes me cry!!! BTW, your daughter is so adorable. Isn’t it fun dressing a little girl after having a boy???
yes…. in a moment’s time they are all grown up…cherish all the memories…. and make each moment count….. I love reading your blog. Terry
Ok Amanda, is Annabeth not the most precious angel you could ever see this side of heaven? Her little dress, shoes and socks make her look like a perfect baby doll, and her smile and beautiful eyes just fill a heart with pure joy. What a special Sunday for you all! I didn’t take my little baby girl to church until she was almost 2 months. Although some complained, I believe it kept her well from well meaning touchers and huggers. What a beautiful mother you are, too! Absolutely radiant!! God has filled your cup to overflowing.
Amanda, she is just darling! I love the ones of you and Jackson–precious. Soak it up. :o)
Sigh. Sometimes I long for those days when my boy was that age. He was my little buddy. Right now he's 12 & currently mad at me because I said no to a huge "Monster" energy drink. :op Oh well…
Thanks for sharing!
Anna
Awwwww….thank you for sharing your sweet memories – those in the making and those of yesteryear.
I took a little travel back to my own sweet baby days! Thus, you didn’t change the subject nearly quick enough!!!- as I dab my eyes and sniffle just a bit.
And with it being Palm Sunday and all, did the girl think all the hoopla was for her?? I hope so ’cause that is how Princesses should think until they understand the glory of the King.
Absolutely precious – that outfit is so stinkin' cute! <3 Lauren
She is her father’s daughter in the flesh. May it also be so in her Spirit one day.
peace~elaine
Adorable outfit and great memories. When my son, now 8 y/o had a similar conversation about his future wife, we started praying for his future wife – that she would have a good day that day, get to play outside, that she had a good night of sleep. It was a great way of getting him to pray for someone he had never met. Now that I’m thinking about it, maybe we should get back to that faith-in-things-not-seen prayer style!
Enjoy them!
Kim Feth
Apex, NC
I can’t get over how much Annabeth and Jackson look alike!! Soooo adorable!!
Awwwwww! She is just precious! And your sweet boy is a doll!
Get lots of baby and boy hugs for the rest of us.
Praying for blessings for you and your family,
Lisa