There's a place, where the boat leaves from

Can you name the song?

There's a place, where the boat leaves from
It takes away all of your big problems
You got worries you can drop them in the blue ocean
But you gotta get away to where the boat leaves from
Take one part sand, and one part sea, one part shade of a 
banana tree
And the drinks they're cold and the reggae is hot
And I know this is the place for me 


It's quite an appropriate theme song for our trip!
There's nothing like being on the water!

the boat

the baths

Rob Longo ladies and gentlemen

the water is incredible and the pictures don't do it justice

swinging from the boat

awkward solo

Dee and Ross at Happy ARRRRR!

Bowdre blowin the Conk at Happy ARRRR!

oh the water

Adam rinsing off after a snorkel

Trip and Ross sea kayaking

Audrey reeled in the "big" catch

Captain Richard!

The only bad part about the trip was Andrew and Sarah not being able to go!

Guess we'll just have to do it again!

and here is the little man on the way home after we picked him up!

on the move

We came home Saturday night from a week long family vacay sailing in the carribean (heavenly) and saw this.......

he's walking people! 

every day he gets better and better

oh the difference just a week can make!

we left him for 8 days and Trip an me kept saying how much different and bigger he seems!

we had an amazing trip and enjoyed every minute

what a blessing it is to step away from our world at home for a little while

but we were excited to get home and see our little man

now back to the real world

pics of paradise to come!

It's that time of year again!

When Trip and I first started dating,
he brought me into the world of March Madness and i've never looked back!
Luckily for him I happened to win his March madness pool one year which keeps me coming back for more.
We used to spend many hours of the first weekend of the tournament staring at a dozen t.v.'s while reclining in lazy boy chairs with speakers on each side eating chocolate chip cookie sundaes at ESPN zone,
unfortunately it no longer exist.
And I'll have you know,
I do this bracket on my own,
thank you very much!
I believe it's important to appreciate your husbands interests.
so I study up on my picks,
do a little research on ESPN,
look for the most likely round of 32 upsets,
make a lot of "educated" guesses,
and watch teams that I really didn't care about just a week ago
This is one small way for us to connect,
and I really think I enjoy it because it reminds me of our first months dating

my 2012 NCAA tournament bracket

hopefully the Doster's will bring home some cash money this year!,

Meet Bernie

a new pal has entered our life.
His name is Bernie,
I wonder how long Bernie will be a part of our family?
Little man takes him everywhere!
It's pretty stinkin' cute

Brooks and Bernie looking out the window

Brooks and Bernie on a Sunday afternoon

Brooks and Bernie eating lunch

Brooks and Bernie at play

Thank you to the Taylor's for bringing Bernie into our life!

On the move

Little man has been really working on his walking skills.

He has taken a few steps on his own, 

I know it won't be long until he's really walking by himself!

We are having so much fun watching him figure out all that his little self is capable of doing!

Little man, you are bringing us so much joy!!!

and here is our blooper video, it gets me every time!
Don't blink or you might miss it!

Kony 2012 part 2

 I knew there was something in me that didn't sit right when watching the Kony 2012 video. And while I am a bit conflicted because I believe there is some good that comes from that video, this article pin points some ideas that I believe are reasons why the video didn't completely sit right with me.
http://ericswanderings.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/invisible-children-and-joseph-kony/

Kony 2012

My friend Sally brought this to my attention through her blog -
www.kony2012.com
The video is worth looking at.
There is a lot of bad that can come from this age of technology that we live in,
but there is also so much good that can come from the ability to share info so easily.
I wish our world did more to recognize people doing good.
There really are so many good people in our world.
And the creator of this video is one of the many!

Windy Gap

Brooks has now been to 4 different Young Life camps in his first year of life.
I don't think there are many kiddos that can say that!
Brooks and I were able to go to Windy Gap this weekend while Trip took middle school kids for the first time in his area.

It was a cold but beautiful weekend.
I have to admit that while driving up in the midst of rain and tornado warnings Friday night with a crying baby I thought to myself " I don't think I am going to do this next year, it will be much easier for Brooks and I to stay home for the weekend rather than me have to pack and unpack the car by myself  and drive 4 hours in the dark".
BUT,
once we go there and got settled I was glad to be there and have a change of scenery.
and I know Trip loved having us there.
I love walking alongside Trip in ministry.
I am learning now with a child that it can be much easier sometimes to stay at home and stay on our own little schedule with Brooks,
but it is so very important that I continue to walk alongside Trip in his Young Life ministry.
I told a friend that the older I get the more I become so grateful that kids at camp get to simply hear a clear presentation of the gospel.
Regardless of how they respond,
they have heard it.
It is not our job to change them,
just let them hear.
it's the greatest thing we can ever do for a kid.

Living in the south,

I continue to be amazed when I hear kids say they have never heard the gospel that way before,

I guess because I have heard it so much I forget what it's like for them to hear it for the first time,

the way it is presented at YL camp.

Their world is so busy,
so noisy,
so cluttered,
with so many people screaming into their lives,
I love that they can sit,
and listen.

incredible leaders!

he loved looking out our window in our room

pure joy!