Trick or Treat

Our kids have never been in America during Halloween to experience Trick or Treating. They had so much fun carving pumpkins and going trick or treating. Even I miss all this fall weather, leaves changing,  and everything pumpkin!!

Pumpkin Ellie

Bradyn's pumpkin design

Taylor's pumpkin design

Death and Cleopatra

Saying goodbye

It's about time to go back to Africa, so the goodbyes have started. This is always the worst part about coming on Stateside for sure. We spent the weekend in Apex, NC visiting with Brent's side of the family and had such a fun time. Love this family of ours!!!

Grammy and Grandad with their 6 grandkids

Trunk or treating

Cleopatra, Link, and a vet

Redskin and Death :)

Nana with Ellie

Love!

Aunt Sara meeting Ellie for the first time

Aunt Buddi

Sweet family!

Cousin fun!

Family

Blessing of friends

We have really been blessed with some amazing friends both in America and in Africa and have enjoyed connecting with our America friends again this Stateside. I love that even though space separates us that we can pick up right where we left off.

Raleigh friends-Nick and Dana

Alisa and Ellie

Issac and Bradyn

Taylor and Selah

The Anderson family

Taylor, Bradyn, Abe, and Macie

Love!!

Friends for life!

College Friends!

Attending Liberty University carries with it not only my degree I hold, but some of my best friends have come from there. Since graduating in 2001 (yep I am old), my girlfriends and I have tried to get together at least once a year. Since I live overseas, I don't get to see them as often as I would like but it still makes my heart so happy to see when they get together. This year, they all came to me in Myrtle Beach since Ellie was still so young. We just had the best time catching up and staying up late and chatting. I love that we have shared together not only memories at college but also watching each other get married and have babies and watching our children grow up. Love these girls!!!

Tiff and Ellie

My sweet friends...love them!

hanging at the beach

2 of my favorite things-Friends and the beach!

Happy 7th birthday Bradyn

On October 12, Bradyn celebrated his 7th birthday...where does time go!?! This sweet boy is growing up way too quickly on us and seems even more grown up since we have a new baby in the house. This is his 1st birthday ever celebrating his birthday in the States so we wanted to do something extra special for him. We took him to the Grand Prix racing track here in Myrtle Beach and let him race all day long. I think it is a memory he won't soon forget!

Cake with Grammy

Racing day!

A little Putt Putt golf in there too

Big racer!!

Riding their rides...we pretty much had the park to ourselves since
the summer crowds have left. 

WV fun

We had a great time in WV reconnecting with family and friends. I forget how beautiful the fall time can be especially in the mountains. Thanks to all who came to visit us and meet our sweet Ellie!

At my parents with my family

Jones family

Martin family

A trip to WV would not be complete without a tractor ride with Uncle Chris

Cousins

Celebrating Bradyn's 7th birthday with family

Ellie Carolina

Our sweet Ellie Carolina was born on September 7, 2017. Originally she was supposed to arrive via a scheduled c-section on September 12, but due to a potential of Hurricane Irma hitting SC on her scheduled due date and some distress she was having during contractions, the doctor decided to take her early.
What a joy this little one has already brought to our lives!! Ellie Carolina, what a great first day of life...you are so loved!

Pre c-section

Mom and Ellie meeting face to face for the first time

First family pic with mom and dad

Proud brother and sister

Our new family of 5

Seeing Ellie for the first time

At the nursery window

Grandad

Mamaw

Nana

Grammy