Daddy and Isabella

Isabella's faces... and her first shot (note band-aid)

Valentine Trip to Natural Bridge

We stopped on this bridge that went across the James River to the Appalachian trail. (Joseph also went bridge jumping off of this bridge in college.
Carved in one of the rocks on the way to the bridge.
They had a valentine's day special. We got a $60 dinner, hotel room, breakfast buffet, and tickets to the bridge. It was fun... and only 45 minutes away from our house!!
I think this is "a rock crying out" declaring God's power and creativity.
Have to keep her little head warm!

Bella Video

Tabitha Visits

Tabitha came to see Isabella on February 4th. I was SO happy to see her (as was Bella.) We had a lot to catch up on. Aunt Tabi got some very big smiles from Bella when she did her silly dances. Her company was like a ray of sunshine combined with a fresh breeze. :)
I will say that Tabitha has been the best with helping me take care of Bella. She did a perfect job as she did not hold her all of the time, and encouraged her to be content on her own when possible.
I miss her a great deal. She really needs to move back to Lynchburg!!!

2 months old!

Little Bella Jean is two months old today! It's hard to believe. I can't really remember life that clearly without her (kinda like when I got married, it seemed like we had been married for a long time two weeks in).

I still can't believe I have a daughter sometimes. I had no idea what joy it would bring to my life. In the same way I could never fully explain the pain of childbirth, I could also never explain the sheer joy of having my little baby girl. I always thought being a mom would just be hard and a little annoying. It's turned out to be harder than I thought, but I find myself not really caring that it is hard and just enjoying it immensely.

God is our faithful provider & we praise Him for that!

We have been especially encouraged/convicted by our pastor's sermons these past few weeks. To seek the glory of God in all our motives... what a challenge!

I am not skilled to understand
What God hath willed, what God hath planned;
I only know at His right hand
Stands One who is my Savior.

favorite shots

Isabella in a cute red dress. *note the sparkly red shoes*


The changing table is a happy place for Bella (pictured in green). She smiles the most here for some reason. (Diaper changes can sometimes take 30 minutes because of this...)


Maw Maw and Paw Paw in their element.


A family shot that is the least terrible of all of the ones we have taken....

)
The Graves family. Next year there will be another little one in the picture! How exciting!! A lady at my church said "the more kids you have, the more selfishness is driven out of you" So hooray for their journey to selflessness! We hope they will join us in Lynchburg and we can journey together. :

getting cuter by the minute

Bella learned to smile last week. It is so exciting to make her/watch her smile. I never thought something so simple would give me such joy.

She continues to LOVE bath time and smiles big smiles when daddy sings her "My Girl". She doesn't smile quite so much when I sing.... (I'm sure it's not because of my voice though.)

Bella got to meet Maw Maw and Paw Paw and the other GA relatives. She was loved by all and had some special bonding with Maw Maw (who is supplying her with very cute dresses).
Aunt Lydia and Elijah were able to come to GA at the same time. We had lots of fun and were able to take cousin and Great Grandparent pictures. Elijah passed on a cold he had and hit Bella on the head with a butter churn. Elijah also played with me a lot (which I loved) and was super sweet when taking pictures with Bella. I hope he and Bella will be very close friends.

On the way home Bella was able to see both sets of Grandparents and Uncle John & Aunt Heather.

It is exciting to experience God's truth that "children are a blessing."