Happy Birthday Maverick!

Well, our puppy is a year old! We had a small celebration...I baked a "paw" cake. (One round cake, and a few cup cakes for the toes...there should have been four toes, but I ran out of batter.) AND I put white icing on the cupcakes so the birthday boy could have one. Maverick VERY MUCH enjoyed his cupcake! He took it to the spot where all special treats go...the landing of the stairs. AND, we even got to wish his sister, Maisy, a happy birthday as well. (We hear Maisy had her own celebration in Georgia!)

Well, here's the proof...

The really bad decorating job...

The birthday boy with his party hat...

David and Maverick

Maverick with Daddy, Sissy and friend, Bonnie...

Mommy giving Mavvy his cupcake...

Mavvy going to the landing...

Mom, what's the white stuff on the grass?

This was the conversation at our house this morning...

Brianna: "Mom, what's the white stuff on the grass?"
Me: That's called frost, Honey."
Brianna: "Is it like snow?"
Me: "You know how dew gets on grass and it's wet in the mornings? [She nodded.] Well, because it's 30 degrees out the dew has frozen."
Brianna: "You mean it could SNOW?" [Big smile, great anticipation]
Me: "Probably not, it doesn't seem like there's any call for precipitation today."
Brianna: "But it's cold enough to snow?"
Me: "Yes, but the last time it snowed in Jacksonville was when Daddy was your age."
Brianna: "It COULD snow! And then I would call Katie and say 'Ha ha, there's snow here!'"

This whole conversation is just another evidence of God's amazing grace...Wednesday night Brianna had been complaining about the cold saying "We moved to Florida so we wouldn't have to be in the cold!" How quickly He can change our hearts! =D

Catch up, Part 10 (January 2009)

Well...the thing that stands out most about January is...FRIENDS!

We are SO very grateful for them! =D

Here is Brianna with Madison and Staci, two of her friends who came with us to the Florida Theatre to see Brianna perform in a karate demo...Words cannot begin to express the sheer joy pouring from my sweet daughter's heart that not only did two of her friends WANT to come to see her, but that at least two more wanted to but were out of town and couldn't make it! God has been SO kind!

This next picture doesn't show me with my friend, but with my friend's dog, Daive! Daive belongs to my friend Teresa, who came over and had a girls night with us while our hubbies were away at the men's retreat. SO, I guess this is actually a picture of Maverick with HIS new friend! lol God thinks of everything! =D

And, now you're all caught up! =D

Catch up, Part 9 (Our First Christmas)

We had a great first Christmas...On Christmas Eve I went to the airport to pick up my brother, Mike, who flew in from Las Vegas. And before we were off airport property I made sure he knew something..."You are NOT going to put my dog in your suitcase and take him home with you!"

Mike wasn't at our house for 10 minutes before he said "I'm going to need a bigger suitcase to go home with." I pulled the big sister card and said "I told you, you're not taking my dog home with you!" We laughed. =D

We had dinner at our house that night...the four of us, as well as David's mom and her best friend, Debbie. It was a nice evening!

We got up Christmas morning and opened presents, and ate breakfast, and then it was time to run out the door to my in-laws house David's brother, Michael, and his wife, Angie. (Yeah, that wasn't confusing at all! Both of our brothers want to be called Mike!)

We ate lots of yummy food and played Spoons. I had never played it before, but that is a FUN game! We laughed! Mike had us all cracking up with his quiet, yet effective, psych outs and slyness. It was good to laugh and have fun as a family...

After several hours there we came back home so Maverick wouldn't have to spend any longer in his crate. We played more games, and ate more food. Then it was time to go to sleep...the next morning we were off to Atlanta!

It was a quick trip, up on Friday, back on Saturday. But we got to see my parents, and that seemed to raise my mom's spirits. (She looked much better than the last picture I posted!)

That Sunday it was time to take Mike back to the airport...with Maverick safely at home in his crate! =D

It was so good to see Mike...we hadn't seen him since the wedding, and I didn't get to talk to him at all during the busyness of it all...so it was actually a year since I had really spent any time with him. Brianna was happy to have her Uncle Mike to play with...and David was happy to have his friend/brother-in-law here. ;D Although we all missed Uncle Brian, who wasn't able to make it down from Nashville. :(

God was so very kind to provide sweet time with family and friends...

Catch up, Part 8 (December 17, 2008)

It was that time again...karate belt tests! This is something karate students do every 3 months at Paks...It was a blast!

Catch up, Part 7 (December, 2008)

The picture doesn't do it justice...it was the prettiest tree of my whole life...

Catch up, Part 6 (December, 2008)

In early December my friend, Kim Brown, helped me finish painting the living room so I could get my Chrstimas tree up. And by helping me I mean she painted while I sat around talking to her. =D

There was some touchup to do that night, and a hallway we wanted to paint, so David and I were painting well into the midnight hour. At one point we turned around and saw what Maverick was doing...and David said "Get the camera."

This dog is a stinking riot! =D

Catch up, Part 5 (November 29, 2008)

Well, I guess I should start with the fact that AFTER his lunch party - with cake - with the Flitters, David had a dinner party - with cake - at Tracy's house. Not only that, but Tracy made homemade Stromboli! And the cake was from Carvel! Yes, David had TWO cakes on his birthday...but it didn't end there!

The next night we had a surprise party for him at the Miller's. Our friend, Sharon Salsberry, planned it for me (she's SO gifted that way!). She couldn't decide on one theme, so she had a combined 3...Mickey Mouse, Auburn, and Presidential Trivia. COMPLETE with a trivia game and prize! David was SO blessed! Thank you to all of you who love us day in and day out, and who were there once again to rejoice with us!

My David...I hope your 30th birthday is one you'll never forget! I hope you know how much the Lord loves you and delights in you...And I hope you know how much I love you and delight in you...You were SO worth the wait! =D

OH! I almost forgot! Earlier in the day MAVERICK got a visit from his sister, Maisie! It was SO cute! We, the Moores, got Maverick from the Millers. The McKenzie's got Maisie at the same time from the same litter. Before we got Maverick he used to get to play with Maisie on a regular basis because the Millers and the McKenzie's live in the same neighborhood. The puppies haven't seen each other since June! I was out on the front lawn at the Miller's when the McKenzies came by. Maisie jumped out their truck and ran straight to Maverick and jumped on him. They were a big ball of fur the entire time they were together...playing just like they had as babies...so I'm told. ;D Here they are together!

Catch up, Part 4 (November 28, 2008)

Happy Birthday David!

Yes, My David had a landmark birthday this last time...He turned the big 3-0! Woohoo! As you may remember, we were in Atlanta, staying with our friends, The Millers. Well, at least most of them. Daddy Miller and two of the boys were in England for a funeral. We missed seeing them!

Well, not only was it David's birthday, but it was our friend Markie's birthday too. AND, in God's kindness and mercy Markie wasn't at home in Orlando, but was in Georgia just a few minutes from the Miller's on his "birthday with Mr. David" as he likes to call it. Denise had us invite the Flitters over for lunch and birthday cake, and we took her up on it! (Can you say "GRACE"?)

The Flitters pulled in to the Miller's driveway, kids not knowing where they were, and they looked out the window and saw ME standing in the driveway. And Markie made sure his parents knew he KNEW he would see Mr. David on their birthday! lol

Here are some pictures of the birthday boys with their Spiderman cake, along with the rest of the bunch...