more pics of the Futterers with their nephew!

THE BEST CHRISTMAS SURPRISE EVER!!!

I don't normally journal very much on our blog...I'm a picture kind of gal. But the following Christmas present is one that needs a bit of background information and is just too good to not share with anyone who will read!! Pretty much anyone that knows me well knows how close my family is and how much I have missed my sister and brother-in-law while they are spending some time overseas! They left the country in April with the plans of returning in January 2011. God has been so good to us during this time away...providing ample resources to stay in touch (including skype at the hospital when Carson was born). By far, the hardest part of them being gone was that Carson would be 18 months old when he first gets to meet his Auntie Ams and Cha Cha Joe face to face. That has been a difficult concept for me to wrap my mind around, but I knew that was just the way it was and the Father would provide a special relationship for them with Carson...even being oceans apart. Our heavenly Father is so good!! And my earthly father is one amazing man! A living example of my heavenly Father! Back in August when Carson was born, my dad started talking with Amberley and Joe about the possiblity of them coming home for the holidays. Thankfully the Lord had favor on them and their company agreed to let them come home. So they started planning but only revealed this plan to those on a need-to-know basis. I was not included on that roster!

Fast forward to December...again the Lord has been gracious to help me find joy in the true meaning of Christmas regardless of the circumstances...enjoying the time even if my sister and best friend is on the other side of the world! I have been trying so hard to be content with the many blessings we have been given and not dwell on the things I think are missing from the holiday...but occasionally I would slip...like when Larry asked what I wanted for Christmas and I said the only thing I wanted I couldn't have and that was to see my sister - really SEE her and HUG her- not just skype "see" her. Little did I know...

So Friday December 18, my dad calls and says he is at our house and has Carson's Christmas present...he wanted us to come outside and see. I couldn't imagine what my dad had found for Carson...he has everything he needs and then some! So I headed outside and Larry was right behind me holding Carson. My mom and brother are there with the video camera and my dad is at the back of their vehicle like he is getting something out of the trunk...then the back seat doors open and out jumps Amberley from one side and Joe from the other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe what I was seeing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There were about 50 million thoughts going through my mind and yet utter speechlessness all at the same time!!!!!!!!!!! Then came to overwhelming happy sobs of joy and gratitude!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the best thing ever to hug my sister's neck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even better was getting to watch her meet her nephew for the first time and kiss his little cheek!!!!!!!!!!

Words can't express how truly grateful I am for my dad's most precious gift and it can't come close to comparing to my Heavenly Father's most awesome Christmas gift of Jesus Christ. It is incredible to me how we can experience such love and joy and excitement here on this earth...and yet those emotions pale in comparison to the love our Father has for us and the excitement we will experience when we are re-united with Him in glory for eternity!

So my little heart couldn't be happier this Christmas....

enjoy a few glimpses of this wonderful surprise!

Auntie Ams and Carson enjoying some precious bonding time!!! He already loves her so much!




The three sibs together for Christmas!

Just precious pictures that I never dreamed I would get to take!

The Hestons come to visit

This weekend our dear sweet friends, the Hestons came to visit us in Russellville and meet Carson!! We had such a fun weekend together! The only thing we don't have pictures of is mad bowling skills! Good times....

This is Payton wanting to "hold" Carson. She is going to make such a great big sister!



Holly and Carson

Payton and Carson just "chillin" together...

We took Carson and Payton to see Santa....

And even got to celebrate Payton's 2nd birthday and Holly's 29th birthday!

Lancaster Christmas

Last weekend we celebrated Christmas with my mom's side of the family. Here are a few of the highlights.

My mom keeps Carson 3 days a week while I work. Each day, she writes down on a scratch sheet of paper the events of the day...what time he ate, when he napped, who came to visit, dirty diapers, etc. So for Christmas, Carson got Bebe a journal to keep all this memorable information in :) She loved it!!



Carson got a great gift from Uncle Doug, Aunt Denise, Rachel and Stephen...a red car walker! It is the cutest thing ever! He is still just a little bit small/young for it, but VERY soon it will be perfect. And it was a very fitting gift since my uncle is a car dealer!

An announcement

Also at the Christmas party, my friend Lydia announced that she is pregnant! We are thanking God for our miracle baby Miller who is due to arrive in June!!

Mommy and Carson :)

This picture was taken last year at Amberley and Joe's going away party...the pregnant girls were lining up in order of due date for a preggo pic and that is when I made the announcement that I was pregnant! It was a very fun moment!

Here is a picture this year with babies! And another announcement is made!! Yay Lydia! (We're missing Megon Oliver and Madison Freyaldenhoven in this picture...but we picked up Breanne and Riley! :)

Bridge Class Christmas party

A few pics from our Sunday School Class Christmas party. Melissa, Beckett, Lacy, and Mel. And if you look closely in the bottom left corner you'll see Carson! He decided he would take a nap for the first hour of the party! Choas all around but sweet slumber in the carseat!



Jax, Meg, Lydia, and Kristen

We had a white elephant gift exchange and by far the funniest gift was the "Burke Larkin wig" and shirt brought by Kristen Hare. Here is Kyle sporting the wig as well as the sweater vest shirt with the top 12 things you may here Burke say on any given Sunday!

Am and Joe- thought you would want to see this! Meg- need to email you a copy! Jax in his super stunt!

decorating tree

We are working on developing Carson's neck and back muscles...unfortunately he is not a fan of our methods. This is him doing two of his least favorite things at the moment....sitting in his bumbo seat and tummy time. This content expression only lasts for about 30 sec to 1 minute before he is screaming!

Mom and Carson cuddling while dad puts up the Christmas tree

santa hat

I had been looking everywhere for a santa hat for Carson and was totally unsuccessful in finding one. Then at church Sunday, they gave all the babies in the bed babies class these santa hats! Super cute! So of course we needed some pictures in the hat. Also please note the onesie he is sporting...unfortunately it is true for the last week or two!

just a funny picture

Just thought this was cute...dad and carson watching football together! just chillin...

a new friend

Carson has a new friend! Baby Jace Brexton Aiken was born on December 1st! Here is Carson with his buddies- Beckett Rogers (7 months old) and Jace (less than one week).

Larry holding baby Jace....I so remember the day when he would never hold a baby! My how things change when you have one of your own! He was waiting in line to hold him :)

4 months old

We attempted to go to the annual Christmas parade...but little buddy got very hungry and sleepy. Given that it was very cold outside this was obviously a bad combination...so we decided to head on home for the evening and will attempt the parade next year instead. On the way home, he fell asleep and this is how he slept in his carseat in his bedroom for the next 3+hours!



4 month old pictures (and one day but who's counting?!)