The Adventurous One

I LOVE THIS VIDEO BECAUSE IT CAPTURES OUR LITTLE LADY'S ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT, CURIOSITY, AND INDEPENDENCE.

AFTER CAUTIOUSLY OBSERVING OTHER CHILDREN PLAY BY THE MUSHROOM FOUNTAIN AT THE POOL, CHARLOTTE GATHERED UP THE COURAGE TO WALK THROUGH IT'S POWERFUL WALL OF WATER. THE FIRST TIME SHE APPROACHED THE FOUNTAIN SHE GOT STUCK UNDER ITS POWERFUL STREAM AND I WATCHED IN SHOCK AS IT'S MIGHTY WATERS PELTED HER LITTLE HEAD. BUT, EVENTUALLY SHE FOUND HER WAY. I LOVE HOW SHE TILTS HER HEAD IN THE WONDER OF IT ALL, AND THEN ATTEMPTS TO DROWN HERSELF. AH...SUMMER FUN.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THE RESONATING SOUND OF RUSHING WATER.

Things That Make Me Smile...

THE JUMPAROO

ON LOAN FROM THE BELLITO BOYS, THIS TOY PROVIDES OUR ENTIRE FAMILY WITH HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT. JOE IS EITHER JUMPING LIKE A CRAZY MAN, OR LULLING HIMSELF TO SLEEP IN THIS THING. WE LOVE TO CHEER HIM ALONG WITH LAUGHS, SQUEALS AND APPLAUSE.

THIS LITTLE LADY
HER ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT

THIS BOY'S LOVE OF SNACKS AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO SIT AND BE CHILL WHENEVER I NEED HIM TO (NOT SURE HOW MUCH LONGER THIS WILL LAST, BUT I'M LOVING EVERY MUCH-NEEDED-MINUTE OF IT.)

FAMILY TRIPS TO THE POOL

HER LOVE OF "REALLY DEEP" WATER

THIS FACE

CLEAN KIDS AFTER TRIPS TO THE POOL -

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MY BABES BEING DRENCHED IN SUNBLOCK AND SWIMMING IN PUBLIC POOLS THAT MAKES ME MAKE A MAD DASH TO THE TUB ONCE WE ARE HOME.

BABES IN JAMMIES READY FOR BED

HER LOVE OF ACCESSORIES

HER NEW STRATEGY OF "HOARDING" ALL TOYS

THIS ONE'S IMAGINATION -

USING A STICK AS A VACUUM TO CLEAN UP UNSPECIFIED FILTHY OBJECT OFF OF SIDEWALK.

WATCHING THE BABES PLAY TOGETHER

AGAIN, THE HOARDING -

IT IS PRICELESS TO WATCH HER STRATEGICALLY PLACE EACH OBJECT WITHIN REACH AND PLOP HERSELF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. SHE IS FASCINATING.

HER LOVE OF BOOKS. I HEART THIS PIC.

THE BOY'S USE OF HIS FAVORITE PUZZLE PIECE AS A PACIFIER.

HE DAILY MAKES THE TREK ACROSS OUR LIVING ROOM FLOOR TO REACH FOR THIS PUZZLE PIECE. I LAUGH BECAUSE CHARLOTTE USED TO DO THE SAME THING.

MY BOY'S GROWING AFFECTION FOR DORA THE EXPLORER. OH VEY - NOT ANOTHER ONE!

I HOPE YOU, TOO, ARE NOW SMILING.

Supporting Cast

WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH A LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE FAMILY. IN ADDITION, THE LORD HAS PROVIDED US WITH A GROUP OF CLOSE FRIENDS WHO HAVE BECOME LIKE FAMILY OVER THE YEARS. THERE WERE SO MANY WONDERFUL PICTURES TAKEN THAT DAY, I FELT THE NEED TO INCLUDE THIS ADDITIONAL POST.

MY CHILDREN'S GODMOTHERS - ASHLEY (SWEET JOE'S) AND BECKI (SWEET CHAR'S)

I HONESTLY CANNOT SAY ENOUGH WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT THESE WOMEN. I NEVER KNEW THAT WHEN MY HUSBAND BEFRIENDED MATT AND ROB IN COLLEGE, I WOULD ONE DAY CALL THEIR WIVES SOME OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS. THE LORD HAS KNIT TOGETHER SUCH A CLOSE BOND BETWEEN OUR FAMILIES. WE ARE HONORED AND BLESSED TO SHARE BOTH THE JOYS AND SORROWS OF LIFE TOGETHER. I LOVE THEIR CHILDREN AS MY OWN, AND I KNOW THEY FEEL THE SAME ABOUT MY PRECIOUS ONES. LOVE THESE LADIES.

MY PRECIOUS ONES.

THE ONLY PIC I WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE OF THE TWO. PERFECT IN ITS IMPERFECTION.

MY DARK-HAIRED BEAUTIES.
(SOME) OF OUR NIECES AND NEPHEWS. WE WERE SO BLESSED TO HAVE THEM SHARE THIS DAY WITH US.

THE GODFATHER

WE KNOW JOEY WILL LEARN A LOT FROM THIS MAN.

SWEET ELLIE.

HER AND JOEY (WITH THEIR BABY BLUES) ARE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.

DARLIN' RY-GUY-ALWAYS WILLING TO GIVE HIS GODMAMA A SMILE.

PRECIOUS LUKE - MAKING THAT CAKE LOOK DELICIOUS!

AH...OUR TWO-YEAR-OLDS

CHAR LEADS ROBBIE TO A FAVORITE SPOT IN MIMI'S HOUSE FOR SOME MUCH NEEDED ALONE TIME. BY THE LOOKS OF IT, ROBBIE IS THRILLED.

WHAT A PAIR!

PROUD GODFATHER AND FATHER

A LONG AWAITED PICTURE - I BELIEVE THIS IS MY FIRST SHOT WITH THE BOYS SINCE THEIR INFANCY. IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT!

MY GIRL, BECKI.

(OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AFFECTIONATELY CALL US BECK-Y AND BECK-I...LOVE IT.)

AUNTIE DAWNIE AND JOE

OUR BLUE-EYED BOYS.

NOT ONLY DO THEY SHARE EYE COLOR, BUT HEARTY APPETITES TO BOOT.

OUR NIECE ALYSSA AND HER PRECIOUS ONE, KENDALL.

MY LITTLE LADY FRESHLY STYLED BY LYS.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS BLESSED DAY WITH US. WE WILL FOREVER CHERISH THE MEMORIES THAT WERE MADE.

XO

This is the Day the Lord as Made

TO HAVE A SON MEANS SO MANY THINGS - ALL THINGS BLUE, BALLS AND TRUCKS SCATTERED AROUND THE HOUSE, LITTLE LEAGUE, SUPER HEROES, LITTLE DIRTY FEET SCURRYING ACROSS THE FLOOR AND MORE. FOR US TO HAVE A SON MEANS OUR FAMILY NAME WILL CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION, A FACT THAT IS SO SWEET AND PRECIOUS TO JEFF AND OUR EXTENDED FAMILY. JOSEPH BRADLEY'S LITTLE LIFE IS SUCH A TENDER BLESSING. I WILL NEVER FORGET MY 20 WEEK ULTRASOUND, AND HEARING THE WORDS "IT'S A BOY." I KNEW THEN, THIS LITTLE BOY WOULD TOUCH OUR LIVES IN WAYS UNIMAGINED AS I LOOKED OVER AT MY HUSBAND BEAMING WITH PRIDE, PURE JOY AND A TOUCH OF RELIEF. NOT ONLY HAD THE LORD BLESSED US WITH ANOTHER HEALTHY PREGNANCY, BUT HE HAD BLESSED US WITH A SON.

THE NAME JOSEPH MEANS "GOD WILL INCREASE." AS A FAMILY, WE HAVE SUFFERED LOSS. IN OUR LOSS, WE HAVE FOUND STRENGTH IN THE LORD. THE LORD HAS OPENED OUR EYES TO NEW MERCIES (INDEED THEY FAIL NOT AND ARE NEW EVERY MORNING), PROVIDED US WITH RENEWED HOPE, AND EXTENDED HIS LOVE AND COMPASSION IN THE DARKEST OF MOMENTS. HE HAS ALSO ADDED TO OUR BOUNTY, AND HAS GIVEN US CHARLOTTE MARIE AND JOSEPH BRADLEY. HE HAS INCREASED. HE HAS BEEN FAITHFUL.

BECAUSE OF THIS...

ON JULY 17, 2010 WE DEDICATED OUR BOY UNTO THE LORD. OUR FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS GATHERED WITH US AND TOGETHER WITH JOINED HEARTS OFFERED THANKS TO THE LORD FOR THIS PRECIOUS BOY. AS PARENTS, IT IS OUR SINCERE DESIRE THAT JOEY GROWS TO BE A YOUNG MAN WHOSE LOVE OF THE LORD IS EVIDENT TO ALL BY HIS ACTIONS AND WORDS. OUR PRAYER IS THAT FROM AN EARLY AGE, HE RECOGNIZES THE LOVE HIS HEAVENLY FATHER HAS FOR HIM, ACCEPTS THIS GIFT OF LOVE AND IN RETURN LIVES A LIFE THAT IS PLEASING AND HONORING TO HIM. IT IS ALSO OUR DESIRE, AS HIS PARENTS, TO BE LIVING EXAMPLES OF THE LORD'S GREAT WORK IN OUR OWN LIVES. WE ASK THAT YOU JOIN US IN PRAYER AS WE SEEK TO BE GODLY EXAMPLES TO OUR CHILDREN, RAISING THEM IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT POINTS THEIR LITTLE HEARTS AND EYES TO THEIR CREATOR.

QUIET MOMENTS WITH THE BOY THE MORNING OF HIS SPECIAL DAY.


OUR LITTLE MAN ALL DRESSED UP FOR HIS BIG DAY.

I LIKE TO THINK HE IS LOOKING UP AT HEAVEN WITH THAT SMILE.

OUR LITTLE CREW.

BANANA CAKE...YUM! WE HAD THE SAME ONE FOR CHARLOTTE'S SPECIAL DAY.

WE WERE SO BLESSED TO SHARE THIS DAY WITH PASTOR MARK, A FAMILY FRIEND. HE WAS OUR PASTOR FOR MANY YEARS AND MARRIED JEFF AND I SIX YEARS AGO. THE DAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT HIM. WE HOPE TO SHARE MANY MORE SPECIAL DAYS WITH HIM.

OUR PRIDE AND JOY

(DOES THIS REMIND ANYONE ELSE OF THE LION KING?!)

JOE AND THE IMPORTANT MEN IN HIS LIFE.

ROB (JOEY'S GODFATHER), JEFF, PAPA JOE AND DOC

THE GODPARENTS - ROB AND ASHLEY LIVINGSTON WITH THEIR BLESSED LITTLE ONES, ROBBIE AN ELLIE.

THIS PICTURE IS PRICELESS FOR SO MANY REASONS.

WE ARE BEYOND BLESSED TO HAVE THESE PEOPLE PLAY SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LIFE OF OUR SON. WE KNOW THAT HE WILL BE LOVED AND PRAYED FOR ALWAYS.

THE GRANDPAS

THE GRANDMAS - OBVIOUSLY WILD ABOUT THEIR LITTLE GRANDSON

ASHLEY, JOEY'S GODMOTHER, BLESSED US WITH A BEAUTIFUL SKETCH OF OUR SON IN HONOR OF HIS DEDICATION. A FEW YEARS AGO, I ASKED HER TO BLESS JEFF WITH A PAINTING OF HE AND BRAD THAT WAS TAKEN AT OUR WEDDING. SHE GRACIOUSLY SAID YES. I DID NOT KNOW WHEN I ASKED HER THE TRUE LABOR OF LOVE IT WOULD BE. I KNOW THIS PAINTING MEANT SO MUCH TO HER AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY HOURS IT TOOK TO COMPLETE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT BOTH SHE AND THE PAINTING ARE TREASURED. HER TALENTS ARE TRULY A GIFT FROM THE LORD, AND CONTINUE TO BLESS US AS A FAMILY.

WE CANNOT HELP BUT NOTICE HOW MUCH LITTLE JOE LOOKS LIKE HIS UNCLE BRAD IN THIS SKETCH. WE HOPE THAT OUR BOY WILL ONE DAY LIVE A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE AND SERVICE TO THE LORD THAT MIRRORS HIS UNCLE'S. EVEN, MORE IT IS OUR HOPE THAT ONE DAY OUR FAMILY WILL BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF BOTH BRAD AND JOSEPH BRADLEY IN HEAVEN TOGETHER. WHAT A DAY OF REJOICING THAT WILL BE.

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ONE OF MY BEST GIRLFRIENDS, RACHEL, STOPPED BY OUR PAD ON HER WAY BACK TO IOWA, AND HER TWO ADORABLE LITTLE ONES WERE IN TOW. SHE TREATED US TO A TACO BELL LUNCH (CHAR NOW REQUESTS TACO BELL EACH DAY), AND WE SPENT AN HOUR OR SO ATTEMPTING TO CATCH UP ON LIFE IN THE MIDST OF CHASING LITTLE ONES, ENCOURAGING THEM TO SHARE, AND REINFORCING THE PRINCIPLES THAT JESUS WANTS CHILDREN TO OBEY THEIR MOMMIES. :) IT WAS A WONDERFULLY CHAOTIC VISIT, AND WE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

JUDE AND CHARLOTTE'S ATTEMPT TO ELUDE OUR MINI PHOTO SESSION.
I MUST GIVE THEM CREDIT. THEY ARE FAST (EVEN IN BARE PIGGIES.)
FIRST ATTEMPT. YOU WILL NOTICE A CERTAIN LITTLE LADY IS MISSING.
THAT WOULDN'T BE MY DAUGHTER, WOULD IT?


SECOND ATTEMPT.
LOOK AT THOSE TWO LITTLE LADIES WANTING NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

THIRD ATTEMPT.

NOW WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING MEMORIES.

CHARLOTTE (28 MOS), JOEY (7.5 MOS), JULIET (11 MOS), AND JUDE (29 MOS)

THE LAST TIME RACH AND I POSED FOR A PIC TOGETHER WE HAD JUST HAD CHAR AND JUDE. IT WAS TIME TO GET IN ON THE ACTION!

ADMIRING OUR SWEET LITTLE ONES.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE. IT SPEAKS TO OUR FRIENDSHIP, OUR SHARED VALUES, AND THE SEASON OF LIFE WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW. SHE AND HER CHILDREN MEAN SO MUCH TO ME.