She keeps getting cuter!

Emma is 13 months old today, so I thought I'd share some shots from the past few days. She has become quite a little stinker, but she is also very sweet. She loves on everything- I've even seen her cuddle one of her shoes. Right now she is obsessed with her (really Morgan's) rocking chair; she has learned to climb into it all be herself. And she will just chill out in it for a long time.

Here she is with rocker hair!

First Pigtails

First finger painting

She is very proud of what she can do.

Here she is relaxing with a plastic pickle...

Gifts Of Hope 10K

I suffered through a tough 10k today. It was hotter and more humid than it's been at my previous races, and that took a toll on me. I ran my first mile way too fast, then crashed. I knew I was in trouble after the 2nd mile. By the 4th mile I think I was praying out loud, by the 5th I was seriously considering a good cry, and by the 6th mile I don't know what was going on but I was starting to get chills (that might be a bad sign). I finished in 49:20, about a minute slower than my goal...However, my arch-nemesis Yomi (the UTPB cross-country runner who usually beats me) didn't show today, so I won 1st place overall (female). I received a Jason's Deli gift card, and best of all, a certificate for an hour massage. So it was worth it.

Here I am feeling great during my first mile...

...and crawling towards the finish line.

Travel Extravaganza

We did it all this weekend. On Wednesday night, we traveled back to Abilene. Then on Thursday we drove from there to Paris, stopping to visit the Botanic Gardens in Ft. Worth on the way. It was an extremely hot and windy day.
Friday was my 26th birthday (thanks for all the gifts everyone). We had a big "Memaw meal" complete with homemade macaroni 'n' cheese and chocolate dessert since we were also celebrating our last family gathering in Tigertown. After dinner, we cousins went for walk down the old dirt road that we've been down so many times together. Saturday we had a huge going away party with all the extended family. There were about 40 people in attendance. The Roams surprised everyone by flying in Candace and Madison. Morgan had a great time playing with some distant cousins. Emma just grinned the night away. And she lit up like I've never seen when she met Madison. She even said "baby".
On Sunday, Matt and I left the kids behind and drove into Ft. Worth for a date day. I went to an awesome store just for runners and bought some new shoes. Then we spent quite awhile in the Kimball Art Museum which was just amazing. Afterwards we went from high culture to low class at the Ft. Worth Stockyards. We stayed about 10 minutes because it turned out to be nothing but redneck souvenir shops and drunken middle-aged women wearing less than Emma would. After leaving we went to a huge mall and to dinner and then back to Abilene. My parents had brought the kids from Paris, and we were happy to be reunited.

Morgan peeks out of a big log at the gardens.

This walkway is just too beautiful to resist posing.

We tried to get both kids to smile, but Morgan had other plans. Emma's still trying to cooperate in spite of it all.

Fortunately she wasn't afraid of these flowers.

But she was pretty angry when Dad did this...







Emma moving in for a kiss...

Memaw, Emma, and Darenda

The 3 great-grandkids

Madison was not down with this photo shoot at all!

Candace looks great as a mommy.

Morgan and Ella (don't ask how they are related!)

Huge family shot (thanks Jennifer)

Our last photo in front of the house.

Morgan's 1st Day of "School"

Morgan started Mother's Day Out today at Trinity Presbyterian. He will go 9-3 on Wednesdays. I told him he was going to school, and he was excited to have his own back pack. When we arrived, he bypassed hordes of screaming toddlers, sat down at the table, and immediately began coloring. He will be doing music, library time, science activities, and lots of other things. I'm sure he will have a hard time waiting for Wednesday to roll around each week!

Doesn't he look like such a big boy in these pictures?