10 months

9 month check up stats
17 lbs 15 oz
27 3/4 in

this past month carter has been SO much fun. he is so happy, in such good spirits, and just becoming such a little personality. he was a little small at his 9 month appointment so the dr suggested we start on more table foods, which i have been nervous about. but we have started on a few and he loves it. he really does well at feeding himself and likes to do it. he has also finally figured out the sippy cup. still can't figure out that he has to hold it up to get water...but he's getting there. carter is such a snuggle bunny. he loves to give squeezes to everyone and he melts mommys heart when he lays his head on my chest. i am so in love with my boy. his favorite thing lately is rolling balls back and forth. carter also had his first trip to the beach this month. he enjoys the water so much and gets excited when he sees it! we had a great vacation with him. hard to believe he is getting so big....

I'd Rather Have Jesus

The week after my grandma's funeral my grandpa and uncle were looking for some paperwork. They ran across where my grandma had written some things she wanted at her funeral. She wanted two hymns sung. One of them was the following:

I’d Rather Have Jesus

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

Wow. As much as I dreadfully miss her now, I'm glad she has Jesus and gets to see him face to face everyday. My desire is to live everyday with the hunger for nothing else but Jesus. There are lots of distractions in this world but, I think....I'd rather have Jesus.

9 Months

carter is such a little boy these days. so grown up. he's crawling everywhere and getting faster and faster. gone are the days of leaving him sitting in a room alone. carter started babbling this month and was non-stop those first few days! he loves to say da da, although he doesn't really know what he is saying yet. it's is favorite of the syllables for sure though. he also likes to squeal. squeal in delight, squeal in frustration, just squeal. we are enjoying all the new things and savoring every moment with our sweet boy.

7 & 8 Months

i'm a little behind the game but i like the idea of a monthly pic and post of my little carter bean. esp for those who dont get to see him often. so, carters 7th month and 8th month are together...


7 months

6 month check up stats

16 lbs, 9 oz
27 in

this month carter started to get up on his knees and mini scoot. he also started sitting up by himself. his favorite foods were sweet potatoes and peas. the cutest thing is that he moves his arms and hands constantly! its non stop waving. we have heard that he is going to be a...swimmer, drummer, paino player, lead an orchestra, etc.


8 months


this month carter began to get even more verbal and smiley. now does he not only move his hands all the time, but also his feet :) he's just a mover! he also started crawling. well not the real crawl but the drag my belly on the ground crawl, but he's getting around. whats neat is he started crawling a year later to the day of the first time i felt him move in my tummy :)

be near

You are all
big and small
beautiful and wonderful
to trust in grace through faith
but i'm asking to taste...

for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord
i need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good

Your fullness is mine
revelation divine
but, o, to taste
to know much more than a page
to feel Your embrace...

for dark is light to You
the depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord
i need to hear from You

I just love these song lyrics by Shane and Shane. Oh how I long for God's nearness. And oh how I have needed His nearness lately. His touch. His embrace.

Last night the Lord gave me a word from Him to share. Unfortunately that hasn't happened in a while, and I haven't felt that type of urgency from the Holy Spirit lately. But it was without a doubt from Him last night. I shared my "word" that He gave me, which was related to what I have been going through this year and how the Lord is freeing me. I was able to pray with several people to recieve their freedom.

BUT....what AMAZES me is how God used those people I prayed with to continue to free me and continue to lift my burden! Being able to minister to them, drew me even closer to Him. Being able to pray for them, through His Spirit drew me even closer. I love how God works, thank you for being near to me Lord. Always. No matter what. No matter what life throws at me. No matter how tired I feel. No matter what. Thank you for never leaving but for being near.