Love Tank:Full

What an incredible day!!!

It actually all started Sunday...

After church we ate lunch at our very dear friends', the Selecmans, house. Both JB and Audrey have been so influential in mine and Kyle's lives and our marriage. We covet the time we spend with them as our conversations are rarely wasted words. We love watching their kiddos (Sammye Kate is 5 and the twins Andrew and John Mark are 2 1/2) grow and now love watching them interact with James and Mattie Rose. 

Once we left their house, we headed home for just a bit to re-group and let the babies rest. Then we headed out for date night! We dropped James and Mattie Rose off at Meme's (my mom) house to spend the night. For the first time. Water works followed. Mom has kept them for a few hours here and there, but this was the first night I was not going to have them with me. Of course I trust my mother and had absolutely no concern for their safety, but it was just so hard to have to say goodbye. And I know it's good for them. And I know it's good for me. But to go from being with them EVERY day and night for the past four months is awfully difficult. Kyle and I had a wonderful date night with much needed adult conversation! And it was pretty nice to sleep in a dark quiet room without the baby monitor blinding me in my sleep. With that being said, I was more than ready to pick them up this morning!

Once we picked them up from my mom's, the four of us headed to Mellow Mushroom for some lunch and then headed to the zoo! For living in Memphis for 17 years, I have definitely missed out on many things that people travel to Memphis to specifically see or do. And here we are with two weeks left before our move, and I am wanting to cram everything in. I'm acting like we will never, ever return to Memphis. The zoo is one of those attractions that I have yet to see. I have been to weddings that were held there, but I have never been during business hours! :)

We had a blast!!!! Such an incredible family day! At times, James and Mattie Rose were very alert and interested in their environment, and other times they were more concerned with checking out their wiggling toes. They are hilarious right now! Below are just a few pictures from our little excursion:

{james and daddy}

{mama and mattie rose}

{ever wonder how a giraffe gets down to the ground? they spread their legs.}

{baby giraffe right by her mama}

{did you know that no two zebras' stripes are the same? kinda like human fingerprints.}

{loved the elephants}

{45 minutes into our walk this sweet thing was o.u.t.}

{and mattie rose was fighting it, too}

{they woke up in time to see the grizzlies}

{and the pink flamingos. still amazed at how these things balance...}

{lioness playing with her ball}

{king of the jungle}

{creepy little meerkats}

{chester cheetah}

{snow leopard}

{puma}

{leopard}

{kyle's favorite - tigers}

{amazes me how big these things are}

{near impossible for both of them to look at the camera...}

{...except for when they take a picture with their dad. of course.}

{daddy-daughter tiger watching}

{my little man}

{this sign made me laugh. some humans should wear these.}

{gosh i love these three. there are not enough words.}

To further fill my love tank, I met my discipleship group for dinner at Central BBQ for somewhat of a going-away dinner. Ahh these women! Love love love them! Each and every one of them!

For the past year and half, the five of us have gathered at Kathryn's house to dive into the Word and fellowship with, walk through life with, examine our hearts with, and encourage one another. I cannot even begin to explain what the Lord has done in my life through spending time with these women. We are all so different, yet share the most important common denominator: a desperate love and longing for Jesus! I don't think there are four women who I have ever been so vulnerable and honest with than these. We have shared heartache, joyous times, pregnancy, birth of children, brokenness, tears, fears, smiles. EVERYTHING! They have called me out gently when I have needed it, encouraged me when I was down and out, and the list goes on. To have a group of women who so genuinely care for one another and take interest in each other's lives is so refreshing! Women need other women. And the Lord so knew my need for these specific four! I am going to miss them exceedingly...

{christina, me, lee, kathryn, megan - and the awesome piece of art as a gift to me. our hearts. all five of us. can now go with me wherever i go.}

These past few days the Lord has really done a number on my heart and my attitude. No matter where we go, it's the relationships that make life, well, life. Location is just geography....